Rise of the Dead Heir
by AleizonAilix
Summary: Before being sent away as a hostage, Lelouch vi Britannia was a top candidate for the throne. Now in exile he works to gain enough power to take back what he once had. A Non-Geass AU
1. Past, Present and Future

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 **Story:** Yes, it's one of those, Lelouch starts plotting early. There will be some elements from canon but it will be different. And of course, no Geass, that alone changes some things.

 **Updates** : Will be slow. It's another major project and my focus will be on my main story. So… you've been warned.

 **Pairing** : Please don't pressure me about that. There may or may not be pairings. This is a story that concentrates on the plot and with these kind of stories eventual pairings reveal themselves to me during writing.

 **Beta** : I'm contemplating getting a beta for this one. If you're interested in the job write me a PM and we'll see if it would work. ;-)

 **Chapter** : My first chapters seem to have a tendency to be shorter. Nonetheless, ENJOY!

 **Thanks** : To EmperorLelouch7! Thanks for listening to me fretting about this chapter/story!

 **Word Count** : 5.066

 **Published** : 2017-06-08

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 **Chapter one: The Past, the Present and the Future**

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 **The past** , **2009 a.t.b.**

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Marianne vi Britannia, 5th imperial consort, was walking through the gardens of the Aries Villa enjoying the view. She was alone, safe for one guard following her at a slight distance. It was at these occasions were she sorely missed being a knight, not having a lot to do.

Not that she didn't love her two children and did everything she could to protect them and raise them well but sometimes she got nostalgic, remembering the fights and battles she had participated in and how much she had loved it. Now she only sparely took the Ganymede out, the last time to chase away one of the other consorts, which always brought a vindictive smile to her face when she remembered it.

This life was sometimes not as easy as a life as a soldier or knight. She would love nothing more than to really get back at all the other wives but had to hold back as it would not be fitting behaviour for an Empress. She did what she could to protect her children from the harsh words of the court but she couldn't always be there and thankfully her reputation was enough to make them cautions.

Not only were they ridiculed because of her own common birth but there was also a lot of jealousy involved. Many knew that her marriage to Charles was more out of love than any other and many called her 'the favourite wife'. That was one reason, another was one of her precious children. Lelouch.

She really loved Lelouch, he was such a bright child. A genius, a prodigy. She had never known how she would fare with children, not being around any before she got pregnant and only ever knowing war and fighting. When Lelouch came she had instantly lost her heart to him, black hair and deep violet eyes he was the perfect embodiment of her and Charles. As the years went by and Lelouch grew, it only became more apparent what a special child he was.

Taking to the teachings of the court without a problem and absorbing the knowledge his tutors taught him like a sponge absorbed water. He was extraordinary and even more so to her. She loved her little girl dearly but Lelouch held a special place in her heart.

He had inherited the deep purple eyecolour of his father, the only one of his children until now and was vastly intelligent. It was the opinion of many that he would be a fairly likely candidate to be named heir when he was grown up and that made him all the more dear to her. Not only was he her first-born but already he was outstanding and seen as a likely candidate for the throne and she was proud. Proud of him and of herself, for giving her husband such a gifted son.

It was that which brought even more contempt from the others. All children were required to take certain lessons and were watched for special talents to further nurture. Lelouchs was most certainly his mind. Being able to retain information fairly easy, an affinity for numbers and already quite accomplished at chess, a game that every imperial child learned. The last time Charles visited, they had played a game and Lelouch was able to last for quite some time against his father and when they were alone he had commented on it to her. Charles too saw how gifted her son was and was clearly proud of him, telling her that only Schneizel had ever been able to last this long against him in a match.

Lelouch was certainly aware of all this and thankfully also enjoyed the game and she saw him often playing against himself and asking whoever came to visit for a match, sometimes even getting the guards to play him, charming child that he was. He was always trying to improve himself.

If she wasn't careful he would spent his days in the library but thankfully Nunnally was always able to get him to play with her and she enjoyed seeing him running around the gardens with her, playing like the child he still was. She wanted him to learn and to get even better but she also wanted him to be able to enjoy life as a child.

Some other wives guarded their children to a ridiculous degree, not allowing them to feel free, making sure they always acted fitting of their station. It was why sweet Euphemia came so often, enjoying being allowed to run around and maybe even get dirty in the grass when they rolled around like the silly kids they were.

After she heard that her mother Victoria li Britannia had scolded her fiercely for getting her dress dirty, she bought some comfortable dresses and the little girl would change clothes the moment she arrived. Whenever she saw the state of the dress after Euphemia left she couldn't help but smile, satisfied in her knowledge that she had done something against one of the other consorts, small as it may be.

But she too enforced the time schedule of her children, not allowing them to skip lessons and to try and do well in all of them, not only the ones they liked more. She had more difficulties with Nunnally in that regard but Lelouch wasn't to keen on some things too. He enjoyed the obligatory fencing lessons but anything else that required physical activity he tried to get out of. She had increased his fencing lessons but still tried to get him interested in other things, she wouldn't allow her son to hide himself away with his books.

In this quest to get him interested in other things she had recently taken him with her for a ride in the Ganymede. Ruben Ashford had been quite nice to Lelouch telling him grand stories of the fights of his mother and how well respected she still was for her accomplishments as a knight.

Her boy had been quite thoughtful the next days before coming to her and saying he wanted to learn more about Knightmares and piloting, wanting to be more like her. If it would have been possible she would have loved him even more for saying that. But she had countered him still.

"Lelouch, I am honoured that you say something like that. But never forget, you are your own person. You have talents I have not and should not cast them aside to try to be someone you are not. I will happily teach you more but promise me that you will still do the things you enjoy and do the lessons required of you to the best of your ability. If you do that, I promise to teach you."

He had promised and she had had no further problems to get him to attend his lessons and she was ecstatic with that achievement. She would make sure he had a rounded education. At the moment there were two other children that stood out from the masses.

One was of course Schneizel el Britannia, second son of Charles, but already the more apparent heir than Odysseus. His mother had done the Crown Prince no good, hiding him away and not making sure that he grew up strong, if she had thought that his birth would give him more rights or if she just was a bad Empress in not seeing to his education properly, she didn't know.

Schneizel on the other hand was more like Charles and Lelouch. Intelligent and hard-working and most definitely more like a Prince of Britannia should be. He had taken an interest in politics and was already working his way up and learning the governing of an empire. Additional he too was quite accomplished at chess and Charles had told her that, beside Lelouch, he was the only one of his children that could last some time against him.

The second most likely candidate was Cornelia, who had decided to take the military route. Finishing the Royal Military School with high marks she was now working in her own guard, also wanting to learn from her and took her duties very seriously and was an exceptionally good Knightmare pilot. She held no doubt that Cornelia would go far in the army. She enjoyed teaching her as Cornelia took to these matters easily even if her sometimes star-struck behaviour was bothersome.

That was another reason why she was so glad that Lelouch wanted to learn the fine art of piloting. Even if he had no natural talent for it she would make sure that he became an accomplished pilot nonetheless, skilled enough to at least hold his own against most opponents. If he could hold onto his dedication she was sure that he would do well in a Knightmare. This way he would combine the talents of Schneizel and Cornelia, proving himself better and taking him one step closer to be announced first heir.

A look at the time made her realise that she was nearly late and her musings had taken up quite some time. She hurried up her steps a bit which took her inside the villa and straight towards the library. Jeremiah Gottwald was standing guard and bowed to her before he opened the door for her. She nodded in thanks to him and gave him a small smile before entering.

The high windows gave light to the grand room filled with bookshelves and various seating places scattered around. She went to the back of the room and found her son exactly where she had predicted. He had again forsaken any of the armchairs or settees, sitting himself in the windowsill with some cushions. He looked quite comfortable and she stopped and observed him for a moment.

He had forsaken his jacket and cravat on a nearby chair and was reclining back at the wall while the book was propped up against his legs and she knew that he would occasionally look up and out the window to enjoy the view of the garden before going back to reading, that was why it was his favourite spot to sit in. He also always knew when he was able to do it, well aware when visitors were expected and he had to sit and behave appropriately.

Due to her background as commoner his behaviour was under even more scrutiny than that of his half-siblings and she was glad that he understood that and took care to always follow protocol when not alone or with people that could be trusted.

A reason why she had made sure that most guards where loyal to her first and foremost and would not gossip to others about her children. She knew that if someone unannounced would come to the villa he was quite accomplished in quickly straightening the library and taking up the role of a prince once again.

She walked up to him and he marked the page before looking up to her, a small smile on his lips and love in his eyes. Her precious son.

"Good day, mother."

"Hello son. You should make yourself ready, if you don't leave soon you will be late for your meeting with your brother Schneizel. Jeremiah is waiting outside, he will accompany you for this visit."

"Thank you. I'll make sure to be on time." He entangled himself from his place and put the cushions back to their rightful places.

"Don't forget that Cornelia will bring Euphemia with her when she starts her duty later. You promised to play with her and Nunnally."

"Of course. I will be back before that and keep the promise. Like always." He smiled back at her while slipping into his white jacket and arranging the purple cravat. She stepped closer adjusting it herself and stroking through his hair.

"You're a good boy. Now go and have fun."

"I'm not sure about the fun part but I will definitely enjoy my time with Schneizel. Sadly I still haven't been able to beat him at chess but I'm always learning something when playing him and one day I might succeed." They walked towards the door and she couldn't help the pride she was feeling at his calm demeanour when faced with continuous losses against his older brother.

She had more than once witnessed his brother Clovis throwing the chess board through the room in anger of once again being beaten by his younger brother. Even in a private setting this most definitely was not something he should do, especially as she knew that if Lelouch did the same Clovis would not be able to keep it secret and in a short time the whole court would know of it.

Still Clovis came back again and again, not accepting of the fact that his younger sibling could beat him at chess this easily. She didn't know why, if it was the playful banter the two of them exchanged during the match or his inability to accept defeat.

She had used these instances to teach some things to Lelouch.

Trying again and again without preparing better would lead to failure. Clovis spent more time bettering his skills in arts than improving his strategy. Not that that was a bad thing, he should do what he enjoyed the most but without a plan he would never be able to defeat her son.

Keep a calm mind. One of Clovis' biggest issues was that the moment his defeat became clearer he abandoned common sense and let his emotions rule him. She knew from experience that that could cost you your life on the battlefield.

Lelouch had accepted these lessons despite his fondness for his half-brother, seeing for himself the truths of them when playing against him. She wasn't sure how those two were able to accept each other as vastly different as they were.

But Clovis came back regularly despite his many losses. Sometimes just to enjoy the exceptionally beauty of the gardens, sitting with Lelouch while he read and trying to capture the nature around him with paint. In this department at least Clovis far outshone Lelouch who couldn't draw for the life of him, but she didn't mind.

But she should come back to the present and her son that was waiting patiently for an answer.

"I'm sure you will. He has a few more years of experience, don't forget that fact. Remember to stay calm and accept defeat with dignity."

"I will mother. Thank you for your advice."

She stopped him before the door, crouching down to be on eye-level with him.

"I am proud of you my dear, never forget that."

He gave her a brilliant smile full of emotions, reserved only for her and Nunnally before he leant over, kissing her cheek and then turning and leaving the library while settling his face into a calm mask. She heard Jeremiah greeting her son before their footsteps faded away and she rose up again.

She left the room herself and wandered to a different part of the villa, ordering her guard to wait at the door before she entered a set of rooms where no one but herself was allowed to enter at the moment.

She had been asked to take a small girl under her care and teach her but she had not anticipated that it would be this difficult. Anya Alstreim had lost her family some time ago and now was old enough to start her teachings. She didn't know who had raised her since she lost her parents but they had done a poor job of helping her overcome the tragedy that had befallen her.

Anya had been completely overwhelmed by everything when she arrived, scared of her own shadow and quite mistrusting of a helping hand. It was why she never left her set of rooms and she was the only one dealing with her beside a maid that brought her food and cleaned the room.

After weeks of working with her she had finally been able to get somewhere and Anya was now more open with her and also the maid from what she heard. If she continued on this way she would introduce her to her own children, encouraging her to play like a child should with others her age. Now that the girl trusted her and felt more comfortable she was sure she would be able to befriend her children, Nunnallys kindness would surely help Anya along.

She found Anya already preparing their tea and she noted happily that she didn't flinch when she greeted her and got a small but hesitant smile in return.

"Good day to you too, Lady Marianne. How are you this fine day?"

"I am well, thank you for your consideration. I assume you're feeling good also?"

"Yes. I have prepared the tea, hopefully it is more to your taste this time."

"I am sure you did fine. Let's sit down and enjoy your work, alright?

They settled down around the small table, holding the fine porcelain she had gifted to the girl to make her feel more welcome. She watched as Anya poured their tea with steady hands before handing her a cup with a slight bow and taking her own. She nodded back at her before leaning back and raising the cup to her lips, taking a small sip to test the temperature, happy to see that it had cooled off enough to drink. She drank a bit, testing the flavour before nodding again.

"Very well made, I knew you would learn fast."

She got another smile from the girl who seemingly had forgotten her own tea in happiness, she was sure that they were on the right way. Regular praises even for little things had boosted the confidence of the girl and brought her out of her shell.

When she looked down at her cup again her vision began to swim and she was suddenly feeling light headed. She couldn't hold the tea up any longer as her arms felt heavy. The porcelain was taken out of her hand and when she looked up she was met with an emotionless expression by the same girl who had shyly smiled at her just seconds ago.

She fell back against the back of the couch, reclining back and felt as though her muscles had turned non-existent.

Before her eyes closed she saw not a child but the hard and cold gaze of a killer, drawing out a small dagger. No longer a lone child in need of help but a ruthless assassin that had played her well. In her drug-induced state she had the out of place thought that she should applaud the one behind this scheme before her last thought went to Nunnally who was in her rooms getting a lesson in History and she hoped she would be safe. Safe from this girl who had played with her and tricked her.

She lost her awareness at the same moment she felt cold steel touching her neck and send a last prayer out for her children.

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 **The present,** **March 2017 a.t.b.**

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Lelouch vi Britannia, currently known as Lelouch Lamperouge was gazing calmly at his current opponent and didn't react to the ridicule aimed his way for his age.

"You invited me to this match. If you don't want to play now that you know my age just say so."

The noble sneered at him, not believing that his associates had recommended this mere boy for a chess match, he should throw him out for his insolence alone! But it would be bad manners to do so after he himself had been the one to give out the invitation and with that thought he moved his first pawn. After all, the money was already on the table and it should be a quick win.

Unknown to him, his opponent was thinking along the same lines.

Lelouch was getting tired of playing against all these arrogant nobles that proved not even the tiniest challenge to him. He played them nonetheless, they payed well and he dearly loved to unburden them of some of their cash and to then use it against them. He could feel Rivalz leaning forward in anticipation of his next move, knowing him well enough by now to recognise the smirk for what it meant. He so enjoyed messing with their heads too.

"You're playing the king? Are you really this foolish boy?" The noble sneered at the smirking teen facing him. What a bad tactic and he had been holding out quite well until now.

"If the king doesn't lead, how can he expect his subordinates to follow?"

The noble scoffed back at that. Youths these days had the most bizarre conceptions about life and no idea how the world really worked. He made his move, trying to end the game quickly to get rid of the insolent brat.

Lelouch had to contain a chuckle, really, they all reacted the same way and he always proved them wrong.

Not ten minutes later he announced 'checkmate', satisfied with the dumbfounded expression before standing up and wandering around the room leisurely, observing the various knick-knacks that were proudly displayed.

"Seems like I have proven myself proficient enough despite my age." He turned around enough to look at the now angry noble. He really should try to keep a better grasp on his emotions, he was far to easy to read. He gazed back down at the obscure sculpture he was standing in front of.

"Don't touch anything boy, lest you break it. These are even more expensive than what we played for."

Despite the warning he gingerly picked it up, turning it this way and the other way, trying to make sense of it, ignoring the sharp intake of breath he could hear from behind him.

"A most interesting piece. I always like to observe the things people display at their home. One can learn a lot about the person owning it if you know what to look for."

He calmly put it back in place the way it was, but with a small addition before moving to the next piece. After examining that one too he turned back and faced the noble once again, leaning back and folding his arms in front of him.

"You should pay up. We young people have to get back to school after all."

Already ten minutes later the two of them were on their way again, to the next match before they had to be back at school. While they were driving towards their next location he checked his phone, he had a new message.

"Did you get a call?"

"No, just a message."

"From Shirley? Has she discovered our absence and is scolding you again for gambling?"

"No. It was nothing of importance."

Not to Rivalz at least. He gazed down at the small screen again, hiding a smile at the message there.

'Running'

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"Whoa! You can't win this, Lelouch."

"We will see. This should be finished in ten minutes."

"Tz, the arrogance of the young nowadays. You have only twenty seconds per move, can you deal with that?"

"Of course, let's settle this then."

Lelouch smiled at the aristocrat before moving the king piece, gaining the same reaction as always. He enjoyed this match quite a bit more as it proved far more challenging due to the tight spot he had to manoeuvre himself out of first. Nevertheless he managed to win in time, enjoying once again the reaction he got. His opponent was so shocked when he announced checkmate that he completely forgot his decorum. Really, nowadays no one was able to keep their wits together.

Rivals whistled at his friend while they were walking back to their ride.

"Well, that was a new record! Congratulations!"

"Aristocrats and nobles are fairly easy to play against when one knows how their average mindset works."

"Still, their pride always makes them pay up nicely."

Before Lelouch could answer they were interrupted by a public announcement and they silently watched it.

Lelouch barley held back his sneer. Osaka again. Those were really becoming bothersome, involving innocents more often than not and never accomplishing anything, true terrorists and a true annoyance. The only thing they were good for was gaining attention and drawing it away from the real deal. But if they continued like that, the other Japanese living there would suffer for the idiocy of a few. He would have to keep a closer eye on them during the next days.

When the broadcast ended Rivalz followed his friend over to his bike and couldn't stop himself from asking, "You're not going to do it?"

"What good would it do these people if we hold a moment of silence or if we spill tears for them. They are dead, they won't care and it won't bring them back."

Rivalz was surprised that Lelouch was letting his darker side show. He had spent enough time with him to know that there was more to him than he showed on campus, proven when he ruthlessly defeated his opponents. It had taken him a long time to get this level of trust from the other and he kept it secret. Lelouch was a great friend who had always been there for him and never judged him.

"That's quite harsh."

"But the truth."

Lelouch knew enough about death to know that no words or moments of silence would help anyone. Also, why would he follow a request to only pray for the eight Britannians that died, fully ignoring the 51 'others' that had also lost their lives. Britannia's hypocrisy at its finest...

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"Really! One moment he speaks harsh truths, the next he tries to play hero, helping people he doesn't even know! He should wait for the ambulance or..."

That was all Lelouch heard of Rivalz grumblings. Really, while they were not really at fault they had still been a factor that made the truck crash. Common people were also only standing around gawking and gossiping, disgusting.

"Hey! Can you hear me?!"

Lelouch inspected the truck, it didn't seem overly damaged but he wasn't getting an answer which could mean that the driver was hurt or even unconscious. Looking around he was glad to find a ladder and climbed up.

"Hey! Are you alright?"

He leant inside, hoping someone would hear him and answer when the truck suddenly drove backwards and he lost his balance, barely managing to make sure he didn't injure himself when he landed.

That didn't look too good for him. Especially when he heard shooting and the Britannian military calling for surrender and a fair hearing at court. Sure, as if anyone would believe that. But that meant that these were most likely terrorists and he wondered who would do such a large scale attack. The truck only contained a strange capsule, no food or other supplies that were usually stolen to then be given to the suffering Japanese in the ghettos.

When he detected movement from the front he quickly moved into the shadows behind the capsule, not wanting to be seen. He was quite surprised to see a young girl walking past him, probably around his age, even more so because she seemed familiar. His surprise turned to shock when she got into a Knightmare and left the truck to give the driver time to escape. They were quite well organised for an unknown group, but he was concerned with her comment about a massacre. What were they up to?

He would have to be careful how to move, a cell like this could prove useful in the future and he would prefer to stay as far away from Britannia's military as possible. But they were clearly driving towards one of the ghettos nearby through the old subway tunnels and he would stand out quite clearly there. He would have to move carefully and judge the situation when they arrived where ever they were heading.

He barely managed to avoid being thrown around inside the truck when it suddenly shook quite badly. An accident perhaps? It stayed calm for a few moments and then the side door suddenly opened and he moved into the shadows beside the door, not knowing what would await outside it was better to first try getting a better picture. He didn't hear much from outside, leading him to believe that this really was not a planned stop and hopefully no one was around.

He heard the running steps the moment he decided to risk a glance outside and had just enough time to dodge a kick aimed at his head, rolling to the side and back into the shadows.

"A Britannian soldier?"

He saw it coming but allowed the soldier to grasp him and press him down to the floor.

 _-Do not show your abilities if you don't have to. What your opponent doesn't know he can't prepare to fight-_

He readied himself. Seemed like he would have to deal with the military instead of trying to not be seen by the inhabitants of the ghetto on his way out.

"Stop the mindless killing! And stealing poison gas on top of that! Even if you try to talk yourself out of that, your presence here..."

Okay, that was enough, he had no intention to hear any more than that. He aimed a slow kick at the soldier and as expected the move was met by the other jumping back a distance and settling into a fighting stance, this allowed him to get back up. Really, what was going on here? Poison gas?

"Condemning others for stealing poison gas while working for the ones who had made it in the first place? What hypocrisy is that?"

He made a quick check of himself before walking further towards the soldier.

"You have a problem with mindless killing!? Then you should fight **against** Britannia!"

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 **The** **future**

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"I am Lelouch vi Britannia! I was believed dead but I am very much alive. I have managed to hide all these years…." "….and I hereby stake my claim to the throne and to be declared first heir!"

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	2. The Past I

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 **Chapter:** This chapter was mostly quite easy to write and sometimes fun. I enjoyed writing it, hopefully you'll enjoy reading ;-)

 **Update** **s** : Will still be slow. Despite this chapter coming out rather quick.

 **Beta** : STILL WANTED!

 **Thanks** : To everyone who reviewed! You're awesome! And of course to the ones who put the story on their favourite/follow list after only one chapter.

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 **Word Count** : 12.503

 **Published: 2017-07-03**

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 **Chapter Two: The Past I**

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 **2009 a.t.b.**

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Anya saw the strike coming but didn't react or try to avoid it, knowing if she kept her composure as best as she could her punishment may be a bit less.

"Your instructions were clear. No one in the household was to be left alive when you moved."

"I am sorry, my lord. But she didn't see me, I swear! I also covered my tracks as instructed." She got on her knees, bowing her head in submission, hoping it would appease the other. Half of her face hurt quite badly and she was sure she would get an impressive black eye.

"Still, it seems that my expectations of you were too high. You still hesitated, that is not acceptable. We will increase your training once again with more special training. If you fail another time you know the consequences."

"Yes my lord. It will nor happen again."

"You will start your increased training tomorrow. Think about your actions until then. Dismissed."

Anya stood up and bowed to the Lord before quickly retreating. She nearly ran to her room where she made sure to block the door with a chair before she threw herself on her bed.

She hadn't meant to fail! Despite everything she had been able to execute the first prerogative with ease, even when she had come to at least respect Marianne vi Britannia. She had been able to use the techniques that had been thought to her, shutting herself off for the kill. And when she moved through the villa she had not hesitated, killing anyone she could find without mercy.

She had been proud that she had had so few problems with the guards, it was the part of the mission she had been most worried about but she had been able to play the lost child well enough to get close for a quick kill. Just as it had been taught to her.

Everything had been going well until she reached the room of Princess Nunnally. She had stopped at the door, listening in, to get a clear picture on what awaited her inside. It had been Nunnally's happy laugh that had frozen her unto her spot for nearly five minutes. She had heard stories about the girl of course, Marianne sometimes sharing them with her to get her outside. Telling her that the two of them would certainly become good friends quickly. She had also watched from the window when she played in the garden.

She wasn't quite sure why she had stopped, it was just a laugh after all.

But it had sounded so happy and carefree and she couldn't remember when she had laughed like that the last time or heard someone else at the academy do it. You learn to fake a laugh certainly but this one had been true and heartfelt and so happy her heart had hurt.

She did manage to compose herself once again and had moved into the room, knocking the girl out while simultaneously killing the teacher. It had been her luck that they had turned their back to the door, enabling her to move closer before they realised she was there and handling them before anyone could raise their voice.

But when she had moved her dagger to the neck of the young girl, the same age as herself, she had hesitated. Gazing down into the face of one who still knew how to laugh and clearly enjoyed life. She hadn't felt jealousy, only a deep sadness.

When she tried to go through with it, her hand actually started to shake. She hadn't had a problem in wielding her dagger in such a long time that she had looked down on her trembling limp in astonishment.

In the end she had closed her eyes tightly before stabbing the steel forward and then she had turned and fled without looking back, completing her mission in turmoil.

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Lelouch was sitting in a waiting room in the royal hospital, trying to keep his composure while he waited for news on his sister. She was currently in operation and may as well be the only survivor of a massacre.

Few people of the vi Britannia household had survived this day, mostly the guards stationed outside, but everyone in the villa… all dead.

When they had arrived at the gate leading them towards the Aries Villa everything had been normal until they had stepped inside. They were immediately met by the sight of blood and dead bodies, the guards stationed at the door. He had stopped at the sight not being able to comprehend what he was seeing.

Jeremiah had been the one who had brought him out of his shock, wanting to bring him somewhere else, somewhere safe. It had brought him back and his mind working again and he had rushed towards Nunnally's room instantly, knowing that she had lessons that day.

While they ran up the stairs, Jeremiah close behind him calling the guards at the gate for help, he had only one thought in mind. His sister.

When he arrived at her room he was shocked into stillness once again while the soldier rushed towards his sister, checking if she was still alive. But the only thing he could see was red. The redness of the blood and her still body. No smile, no abandoning of her lessons just because he had arrived. Just nothing.

The sweetest thing he had ever heard was 'She is still breathing, we need an ambulance, now!'

He couldn't clearly remember what happened after that. He knew that the guards from outside had come in, checking the other rooms for survivors or additional attackers.

He knew that Gottwald had contacted Cornelia, as head of security she had promised to come as fast as she could and had instructed Jeremiah to stay with him.

When the ambulance arrived they went with them, he had refused to leave his sister's side.

And now he was waiting. Waiting for a doctor to come while simultaneously wishing they wouldn't. The rational side of him knew that too short a time would mean they weren't able to do anything for Nunnally. But he still wished, looking towards the door every minute hoping it would open and dreading what kind of news would be carried through it.

He felt like there was a war happening inside himself. Logic versus emotions. One moment his mind would point out something and then it was being washed away by a turmoil of emotions.

Jeremiah watched the clenching and unclenching of the small hands, noticed how they shook and wished and prayed to every god known to him that the Princess would survive. He couldn't bear the thought of a world without the sweet and happy girl. He also didn't know what it would do to the young Prince.

He stayed calmly at his side, watching over him and keeping his own emotions in check, concentrating on his duty, like Lady Marianne would have wanted him to.

Lady Marianne who most certainly was amongst the casualties as they had not been informed that she had been brought to the hospital.

Jeremiah started another prayer.

* * *

.

Cornelia stepped into the room, waving the Margrave away, seeing how tired he was she was sure that he would use this time to take care of himself.

Her gaze settled on whom she had come for.

Lelouch was sitting beside a bed, holding the small hand of his sister with such a far away look one couldn't be sure if he was really aware. But she was proven false when he turned his head and she wanted to take a step back from the empty gaze that met hers.

"Have you brought more bad news?"

"No. Aries Villa is secure once again and I have already started the investigation. Common opinion is that it were terrorists."

"Sure."

Lelouch couldn't fully keep the doubt out of his voice. He knew that his mother had taken their security very seriously, carefully choosing each and every soldier stationed there. They would find no traitor that helped someone get inside or who had done it himself.

He settled his gaze back on his little sister.

Her vocal cords had been hit and were beyond the healing abilities of Britannia's best. She would never again speak, he would never again hear her laughter. Her wind-pipe had also taken damage but not as much. Physical activities would not be possible for her any longer. With careful training she would be able to walk normally and maybe even run a short distance but beyond that she would have difficulties getting enough air.

"Do you need anything Lelouch?"

"No thank you. Keep me informed about the investigation."

"Of course. Make sure to rest."

Cornelia didn't get another answer, his gaze firmly back on his sister. She could relate to that a bit, knowing she wouldn't act differently if it was Euphemia. It hurt enough that it was Nunnally, a half-sibling she felt far more connected to than any other. How often had she stood with Lady Marianne watching the two girls running around, coaxing Lelouch into playing with them any game they wanted and no matter what it was they would always succeed in getting him to agree.

She didn't know what to do. She wanted to hug her brother close, promising him that everything would be fine, but she knew how ridiculous that was. Lelouch surely knew it too. Not only would they have to deal with Nunnallys loss of voice but they would have to act strong as to not be crushed by the members of court. Lelouch more so than his sister as the older one who had already so much expectations for the future. They would expect him to stay strong and deal with it like a true prince, taking over for his mother.

She left with an aching heart, not knowing how to further help him. Knowing she wouldn't be able to protect him from the masses as it would make him look weak.

.

* * *

.

A week after the attack was the funeral.

Lelouch wanted to glare at the sun that was happily shining down on the small gathering. The stupid ball of hot plasma shouldn't be allowed to make this dreadful day so nice.

After waking he had refused anyone else telling Nunnally what happened and she had not taken it well of course, crying herself back to sleep with additional help of medication. While she slept he had organised everything and when she was awake he tried to be there for her, to support her as best as he could. Promising her that he would help her.

Shortly after he had come to terms with her diagnosis he had started to search for a suitable teacher so that they could learn the official sign language. Knowing what a weakness that could be in the future he had started to design his own, wanting to have a way to communicate with his sister without anyone knowing what was spoken. Not that any nobles would lower themselves to learn the sign language but it was a weakness he wanted to work against right from the start.

As she was still quite weak and adjusting they were using a notepad at the moment and he made sure to burn the pages and letting her see that. She hadn't had as much exposure to the cruelty of the court like himself. As second child and a girl, his mother and later himself had always been able to shield her from the harsher words and persons roaming Pendragon.

He would of course continue trying to take the blunt of it but he would need to make sure she knew to be careful, now more than ever.

Nevertheless she was present here. He had made sure that she would be able to mourn their mother in peace, the ones in attendance would not look down on her for crying. There would be an official mourning ceremony later which he had to attend but Nunnally would be going back to the hospital. He had gotten instructions how to care for her should she have difficulties breathing and a medical team was stationed nearby but he hadn't wanted any strangers here.

Their small gathering consisted of Ruben Ashford, Cornelia and Euphemia, Jeremiah who wouldn't allow him out of his sight and of course himself and Nunnally. There had been an invitation for the emperor but he hadn't come. He hadn't even visited Nunnally. The only visitors were the ones around him and Schneizel, which he had forbidden to come today.

He hadn't been near his mother and when he said he wanted to be there for Lelouch, to support him he had refused all the more. He liked Schneizel, they were quite alike and he had always enjoyed spending time with his half-brother. Their meetings were always challenging not only in chess but in conversation as well. But it wouldn't feel right to have him here. No, only the people close to his mother and to _both_ her children were standing around the coffin that was slowly put into the earth.

He stood behind the wheelchair the doctors had insisted on to not further exhaust Nunnally with walking around. He had one hand on her shoulder, brushing against the Neck Brace she had to wear while the other had grasped her hand when she reached up to him. From the slight shaking of her shoulders he knew that she was crying but not as badly as he had feared.

Nunnally was trying so hard to suppress most of her tears, even if they streamed down her cheeks. Her brother had told her that if she started to cry too hard she would have difficulties breathing and would be rushed to the medics. It had been mean of him to say it like that but she understood why he did it. If she was careful and tried hard to not let grief overtake her she would be able to stay until the end.

That and she had already experienced this more than once. The feeling of suffocating while still being able to breath. Every time it had happened in the last days, a nurse had put her to sleep but she would always wake to the same horror.

Crying made it worse, she knew that too. Her brother had let her cry if she wanted, had also sat down beside her and drew her into his arms for a bit of crying in hopes she wouldn't get overwhelmed here. He had known that she wouldn't want to be swept away because of her health.

The firm but gentle grip of her brothers hand gave her strength and she couldn't love him more for it.

.

* * *

.

Cornelia watched as Lelouch went around the room, accepting condolences, true and false ones.

He held himself remarkably well, only sometimes slipping in small ways. Most likely when another underhanded insult to his mother was said. He would tense and take a slight defensive position before correcting himself.

Schneizel had not left his side.

She knew that their older brother had been understanding but still hurt that Lelouch had refused his attendance at the funeral.

It wasn't really a secret that Lelouch was his favourite brother and that the two of them met regularly. Which was quite surprising as they were quite alike and both likely candidates for the throne. She didn't know if it was because of it or despite that fact that they seemed to get along so well. Everyone wondered about it but an answer they would never get.

Schneizels silent support during this wasn't as damaging as one may think. He didn't keep Lelouch away from his opponents, he didn't protect him but stayed as support and as reminder that the vi Britannias still had friends and allies. Someone would have to take over the guiding of the two siblings and here and now Schneizel was declaring his stance.

"He is so composed, it's quite shocking."

She made sure to keep the slight sneer from her face. Really, while Odysseus certainly understood the rules of the court he still seemed like he couldn't grasp them completely or just didn't care. Her thoughts where only reinforced when she turned slightly to look at him as he stood beside her.

His eyes were glossy, he seemed like he wanted to cry and his gaze was sad while it was settled on Lelouch. Was he incapable of wearing a mask or did he just not care enough?

She had never really liked him, Euphy enjoyed spending time with him. He was a gentle and kind person but he seemed to not care enough about duty and appearances and that was why she never got along with him.

"He knows what is expected of him."

She met the sad gaze of Odysseus with a hard glare of her own.

She knew that that wasn't the only reason. Lelouch was also aware of what his mother would have expected of him and also, the better he did now would only help him in the future. He just couldn't afford to be seen as weak.

.

* * *

.

The vi Britannia siblings returned to the Aries Villa two and a half weeks after the attack. With new staff and guards there was nothing there that showed what tragedy had occurred within its walls.

As a welcoming gesture and to have a positive memory after the catastrophe, Lelouch had arranged for a picnic with Cornelia and Euphemia in the gardens. While Nunnally couldn't run around as she used to they still had a good time, he and Cornelia helping their younger siblings knot flower-necklaces and crowns and not refusing to wear them themselves.

Lelouch had taken over the running of the household from his mother while trying to fit his own studies and Nunnallys into his schedule.

Cornelia was in charge of the investigation and as she had a personal interest in it, everyone was sure that she would get results soon. Lelouch trusted her with this task.

The investigation had for now not brought up anything of real importance. Lady Marianne had been found in a set of rooms that had not been used, leading to the assumption that she may have gotten contacted about a short-notice visit. Most likely she had went to check the state of the empty quarters, as she had been with a guard who had been stationed inside at the door and apparently been attacked from behind. Marianne had been found on of the settees as she may have settled down there for a moment.

Still unclear was who it had been, none of the guards that had been patrolling outside had seen anything and interrogation had proved them all innocent. Everything showed that the security had not been breached and Cornelia was at a loss of how to proceed. One thing was clear, it was a well-planned mission with highly skilled people as neither the guards nor Lady Marianne herself were believed easy kills.

In the meantime Schneizel tried to give his support to his younger brother, helping him fighting nobles that wanted to take advantage of the weakened vi Britannia family. Some were halted just because they would be going against him and others had to be dealt with subtly, while Lelouch may be able to deal with them on his own his time was quite stretched and so the freely given help was accepted.

It seemed like the vi Britannia siblings were doing well despite everything and Lelouch got even more recognition for the manner in which he dealt with the incident. Everyone quite surprised that this was not the complete downfall of the commoner prince and princess they had expected but nearly four weeks after the attack the emperor himself called off the investigation and the calm and collected demeanour of Lelouch vi Britannia shattered.

.

* * *

.

"Announcing, Lelouch vi Britannia, 11th prince and 17th heir to the throne."

Lelouch could hear the whispers all around him while he walked towards the throne his father sat on. It was nothing he hadn't heard before. That even with Schneizel protecting them and his intelligence the vi Britannia family would not be able to get back to former glory, that the Ashford family, their greatest ally had been driven out of Britannia by their opponents. Not that he cared about what these disgusting nobles thought, as long as he was still alive he would do his utmost to make the vi Britannia family survive and in time he was certain he could bring it back to glory.

What he hated the most was their murmurs about Nunnally, with the loss of voice and her breathing problems she would be no longer able to play or be used in the game of politics. As if he cared for that, he was more than ready to take everything upon himself to spare her the cruel dealings of politics.

He kept his composure no matter his inner turmoil. He had accepted no visits from their father while they were at the hospital, he had accepted that he hadn't even shown up at this mother's funeral even though it was a wildly spread rumour that she had been his favourite. But calling the investigation off was too much. If his father didn't care for finding the culprit, fine, but he wanted answers. There was no reason to call it off, Cornelia was still doing her duties as head of security as dedicated as ever.

He arrived before the throne and bowed as expected.

"Your majesty. I came before you to humbly ask you to reconsider the stopping of the investigation of my mother's murder."

"No."

"What?"

"Are you deaf boy? I said no. What do I care for the 'how' and 'why'. I have indulged you long enough, it is time to move on."

"You are the strongest person of this empire, wouldn't you want to know who was able to bypass the security to kill one of your wives?!"

"I do not care for the weak. If you have nothing further to say I recommend you go back to your studies and prove to me that not everyone of your family is weak."

"Maybe I should just stop with that, I'm tired of trying to impress you if you don't show even the smallest interest in your family!"

Lelouch took a step back when his father rose from his throne with a gaze of steel directed at him.

"You seem to have forgotten who it is that is giving your life any meaning at all. Who it is that provides for a life of comfort while you are expected to prove your worth. Maybe you need a lesson in that first.

"I will send you and Nunnally to Japan. As prince and princess you will be good trading material. Maybe after that you will show more respect and appreciation."

.

* * *

.

After that decision the Aries Villa had been put on lock-down, every guard was replaced by men loyal only to the emperor, making an escape impossible. Even one member of the Rounds was present at all times while preparations were made to ship the two royal siblings to Japan where the sakuradite-conflict grew more and more difficult.

Any and all visitors were forbidden and the only other people were the teachers send to them. The only one that had not been changed was the one who showed them the sign-language and it was one of the few friendly faces during the next weeks.

It was especially hard for Nunnally as she had already so much to deal with and suddenly her world was once again turned upside down and she couldn't understand it. She became quieter, smiled only when alone with her brother and became different overall. If possible she never left her brothers side as he was the only steady thing left in her life.

The only ones to say good-bye when they boarded the plane were Cornelia and Euphy who told them that Schneizel had been called away or he would have been here too but he send his greetings. Most likely that was not a coincidence.

When Cornelia saw her siblings again after the few weeks where they were kept isolated at their home she was shocked to her core.

Nunnally was practically hiding behind Lelouch while he stoically watched everyone prepare for their departure. There was caution in her sisters gaze and a slight frown that hurt to see on her face that had always been open and joyful.

And Lelouch… He seemed like carved from stone even if the arm around his sisters shoulder was hugging her gently to his side. He had always behaved mature beyond his years but now there was something in his eyes that she didn't want to analyse. A hardness that should never be there but especially not at this young age.

Cornelia was saddened to see how stoic Lelouch endured everything that was going on and only a sharp glare from her halted the whispers of the soldiers around them, for the time being at least. She feared they would pick up the moment they escorted her siblings on the plane.

While their respective younger siblings said their teary farewell she drew a reluctant Lelouch into her arms.

"Never forget that there are at least some people that will miss you. Take care of yourself, brother."

She felt him gradually relax the longer she refused to let him go until he finally let go and slumped against her and she could feel a slight tremble run through him.

"Stay strong Lelouch and keep up with your studies if possible, so that when you are allowed to return, you can show everyone that nobody should mess with the son of 'Marianne the Flash'."

Lelouch nodded against her shoulder, understanding what she wanted to tell him and grateful for her hug. He took another deep breath, smelling her subtle perfume before drawing back and giving her a smile.

"Make sure Euphy gets time to play around."

"Of course."

She gave him the few presents she had collected. There was the chess piece of the Black King from Schneizel, the one from his favourite set, a beautifully crafted one from marmor. Which spoke more than any words.

Then there was a picture and a note from Clovis who had been forbidden from visiting the siblings directly after the attack. His mother, never a fan of Marianne, had not wanted her son to be associated with the fallen family. The picture was one of Marianne with both her children and the note said that by the time Lelouch returned he would have painted it for him.

And from Euphy and herself she gave him a flower-necklace made with false ones as a reminder of their picnic after they left the hospital. No matter how dark the day may seem you can find a shred of happiness even in the darkest times.

They shared a look of understanding before they turned to their younger sisters. They didn't know how long their punishment would be. Lelouch regretted speaking out against his father as now Nunnally had another matter to deal with after everything. He just hoped that they would be able to stay together and life as a political hostage wouldn't be too hard for her.

.

* * *

.

Despite his fear, the household of Prime Minister Kururugi was in some parts better than life at Pendragon. Instead of having to deal with countless people who looked down at them for being of 'common blood' and having to interact with them nonetheless he was free to avoid the Japanese that were giving him pitying or angry looks without any repercussions.

While at first they would always be accompanied by a guard they still had much freedom and even someone who continued their teaching in the sign-language. They also shared a room which he greatly appreciated as he wanted to be near Nunnally should she have a nightmare. Since the attack on the Aries Villa he had stayed with her through every night, more often than not sharing a bed while he held her close.

He took her for a walk two times a day trying to increase her endurance after being cooped up for a while and despite her injury. They were slowly exploring everything around them and Nunnally had even managed to curb the temper of Suzaku, the son of the Prime Minister.

He had not cared about the attacks of the younger boy but Nunnally had witnessed it once and grown beyond angry and had managed to push him to the ground before scribbling fiercely on her notepad. She had then hit him over the head with it before dropping it on him before taking Lelouchs hand and leading him away. He had been greatly amused by it.

To this day he had no idea what she had written and she refused to tell him and the days after that they had been silently followed during their walks. When Nunnally was too tired to continue it had been Suzaku who had offered to carry her back, which he refused but Nunnally had wanted to, so he had given in. He was **not** annoyed that the other boy had taken over what he saw as his task, what he had done whenever they had taken a too long walk.

After that and on Nunnallys insistence, they had quickly gotten over their bad start and he was now teaching Suzaku the sign language he had developed. Nunnally was quite happy that they were now getting along and for that alone it was worth everything.

As she was currently taking a nap after their walk he had decided to visit the library. It had made him quite happy to discover that it was quite vast and held more books in English than he had expected. There were classics and some books on different subjects and while most of them were in Japanese, a language he was only beginning to grasp, there were more than enough for him to read through.

He was interrupted of his readings when the door opened and one of the Prime Ministers advisors stepped in. He had had no dealings with Lord Kirihara until now and wasn't quite sure what to expect of the old man. Nonetheless he drew on his manners and greeted the other as best as he could with what little he already knew of their language. He was just glad that the other replied in English when he sat down across from him.

"I have finally found the time to properly greet you, young prince. Welcome to Japan."

"Thank you. Just Lelouch is fine."

"I have heard that you're a frequent visitor of the library. I don't think all these books have gotten this much attention in the last years. Might I ask what you're currently reading?"

"An analysis of Britannian history. It's quite a fascinating read from the viewpoint of an outsider. I'm sure I wouldn't find it anywhere at home."

"Most likely. But it is quite a complex read, how are you fairing with it? I can offer help if you want."

"Very kind of you but I have no problem following it. It's not the most difficult book I've ever read. I had a time were I hunted down books about war tactics and the like to see if it would better my skills at chess and those had been a real challenge."

"Interesting. Were you able to incorporate it into your play?"

"Partly. While chess can definitely be compared to battle or war it is still a game even if the correlation is certainly there."

"There is a rumour that all royal children are quite adept at the game."

Lelouch couldn't contain a small laugh at Lord Kiriharas words.

"Rumour is fitting. While it is certainly expected that every one learns it, there are not many great players amongst my half-siblings."

"While I haven't played chess for a long time, I would be quite willing to play you if you're interested. I'm sure I can find a set somewhere."

"I would appreciate that very much, thank you."

.

* * *

.

The situation he found himself in one day was a combination of awkward and hilarious.

Suzaku's cousin Kaguya had come to visit and the two girls had wanted to get to know each other. So now here they were, Suzaku translating the Japanese with the little English he knew while Lelouch translated the sign language or simplifying what Nunnally wrote on her notepad for Suzaku. It was difficult and the girls were often glaring at them because they weren't fast enough but they managed, somehow. It made for quite an experience and he answered the happy smile of the other boy with a content one of his own.

He still didn't feel comfortable enough to let his composure go with people he didn't know and while Suzaku was fast becoming something like a friend, a new concept for him really, Kaguya while a young girl was nonetheless an unknown. His mother had drilled into him the importance to always show a nice face no matter whom he was faced with.

She had said that if you don't let your true feelings show you have a better time stabbing them in the back if needed. He had assumed she meant the metaphorical sense, that in the politics of court where words were wielded as weapons. Now, after what happened, he wasn't too sure if she hadn't also implied the literal sense.

While he allowed Nunnally to be as carefree as she wished he wanted to do his mother proud, wishing and imaging that she was somehow watching over them and being proud of him that he kept his manners even in a situation such as theirs.

Suzaku happily helped Kaguya when she wanted to show Nunnally what origami was and helped the princess on her first try with a combination of the signs they had shown him and the bit of English he had learned. As son of the Prime Minister he had had gotten lessons so that he at least understood and could speak a little if needed. But he had never enjoyed these lessons and hadn't dedicated himself to it like he did to his martial arts training.

When the first origami crane was finished, even though it was quite dishevelled he gained a heartfelt and thankful smile from the little girl who also reached out to grasp his hand and squeezing it in a sign of thanks.

When Suzaku looked over to the prince he wasn't too surprised to only see a slight increase of the smile and a touch of pride in the gaze directed at his sister. No matter what, the other boy was always so distanced and Suzaku had not managed to get a true smile out of him. He had become more open but not as much as he would like. He just had to try harder to get the other to trust him more. They were friends after all and he wanted Lelouch to truly enjoy their time together.

He never really had any friends. Sure he had family like Kaguya but no one outside. He had private tutors so he didn't go to school and meet other children. The only ones he ever met were other sons and daughters of influential people when his father took him to a gathering. But while he enjoyed those time they weren't happening often enough to form any bonds of friendship.

He had heard enough talking around the house about Britannia that he had decided to not like the two siblings when they came to his house but one couldn't not like such a sweet person like Nunnally. He was well on his way on viewing her as his own sister but Lelouch was a friend. As distant as he often was, he could never say no to his sister and had stayed calm and patient while teaching him their own secret language. It may be difficult getting to know him but there was a person underneath that blankness he really wanted to see.

.

* * *

.

Suzaku and the two Britannia siblings were in his hide-out in the woods surrounding the Kururugi shrine. He would have never thought that he would bring someone here but today he had once again accompanied them on their daily walk, leading them to his own favourite places and somehow they had ended up here.

Especially because they had for once forgotten to not go too far.

They had so much fun that they hadn't realized how far they had gone and now Nunnally was having difficulties breathing and he had brought them here, so that she could calm down and settle her breath. Because he had felt responsible he had carried her himself, despite Lelouchs protests.

Now he was watching Nunnally taking a nap, her head in his lap and her feet on Lelouchs.

Lelouch gazed down softly at his sister, happy that she was so at ease here, despite the harsh reminder that she wasn't able to play and do things like she had been accustomed too.

"She hadn't slept well last night, thank you for allowing her to rest here."

"It's no problem. I kinda feel guilty for not remembering..."

"Don't worry about it, we all forgot. But she had lots of fun and that is more important."

"So it will not be hurtful for her?"

"No, once she has rested she will be just as before. We could have went back the moment she had rested a bit but I think she wanted to stay here. The nap will do her good."

"So her health hadn't worsened? I'm glad, when you said that she hadn't slept well..."

"It had nothing to do with her breathing, she has nightmares, sometimes..."

"Oh..."

The settled into silence again, both gazing down at the girl sleeping between them every so often while being immersed in their own thoughts.

Suzaku would have thought that he would feel threatened or uncomfortable with someone else here in his refuge. But he hadn't hesitated in bringing them here and Nunnallys health hadn't been the only reason.

Despite their rocky start, which he had to admit at least to himself had been mostly his fault, he had come to like both siblings. Who couldn't like Nunnally? While certainly as headstrong as her brother if needed she was the more approachable of the two and easy to smile.

Lelouch on the other hand was harder to read, always guarded but with a gentle and sweet side to him that only came out around his sister.

He wasn't as guarded at the moment, seemingly at peace in the little shelter he called his secret hide-out.

"Lelouch, tell me more about yourself."

He watched sadly as some of the protection went back up. He didn't have much interaction with other children, but never had he met someone like Lelouch who was more behaving like an adult most of the time than the child he was.

"What do you want to know?"

"Anything. Everything. Nunnally often shares some stories with me but I don't know much about you. Only that you enjoy reading, as you so often can be found in our library and that you love your sister."

"I'm not sure there's much more than that."

Suzaku shot the other a look that quite clearly said that he didn't believe that which earned him a sigh before the other spoke up again.

"I enjoy being here more than I thought. I never really had a friend. Sure we would play with our siblings but it's not the same and I don't like most of them.

"I would do anything for Nunnally. I miss our mother and I hope she watches over us and that I will do her memory justice."

For the first time he saw a mutitude of emotions flickering in the eyes of the other boy and it changed his whole demeanour. Gone was the boy that seemed like nothing faced him and he could see the deep sadness over his mothers death that he had already witnessed in Nunnally.

"I can't remember my mother. She died when I was really small."

They exchanged sad smiles before going silent once again.

"I also never really had a friend but I would like to be your friend..."

"It's not that I don't want that but a matter of trust..."

"You can trust me!"

The glare he got shocked him and he had a hard time understanding how quickly the atmosphere had changed.

"Suzaku, you do realize why we were sent here?"

He swallowed around the lump in his throat. It wasn't that he was not aware of it he just had chosen to ignore reality. First because he hadn't cared, he had not wanted them here no matter what. Afterwards he had not wanted to think about what it meant to the two children that he had come to like.

He had heard enough talking from the adults to deduce what was going on, no matter how hard he tried to not listen.

How many had said how cruel it was to send them away after their mother died.

He had listened when they said how unaccustomed the girl still was to her new disability and was now in a foreign country surrounded by strangers.

So much more had he overheard, not one good word about Britannia like before but never anything really bad about the two royals.

"I know… I've heard… they called you hostages..."

"And we are. Bargaining pieces my father called us."

He looked up in shock and was met with a calm but steely gaze of amethyst eyes. Before he could process what he heard Lelouch spoke up again.

"No matter how much we enjoy our time here and how much freedom we are given now, we are still here for a reason. Friendship is not part of the deal. Our countries are not friends or even allies."

"That doesn't mean we can't be friends!"

"You're the son of your father, the Prime Minister and I am a Britannian Prince."

"I don't care about that. I didn't care about that when I pushed you around after you arrived and it shouldn't matter now!"

That gained him a small chuckle and he looked down embarrassed about his admittance of his behaviour. He continued on in a softer voice.

"I really want us to be friends. I've showed you my secret hide-out, I've never brought anyone here. I know that seems silly but..."

"I have a hard time trusting anyone these days, Suzaku."

He nearly missed the whispered words and he gazed up at Lelouch once again.

"Why?"

"If I tell you, you have to swear to never repeat it to anyone, no matter who."

"I swear! I swear it on my secret hide-out!"

Lelouch gazed at the Japanese boy, having a hard time deciding if he should really trust him. But Suzaku had always been open, from the very first punch he threw at him. He was sincere in his wish and by now he thought the other incapable of deceiving someone.

Still, telling someone what had happened back home, what had brought them here…

He looked at Nunnally again, sleeping peacefully and happy. She like Suzaku, enjoyed their stay in Japan far more than he would have believed. Maybe, for her, it was a good thing to not be back at home where she would be reminded of everything daily.

Since coming here and getting to know Suzaku she had become livelier, she was back to the girl she once had been. Back at home he had seen the change in her, she had been sadder and smiled less. Which wasn't too surprising with all the sudden changes in her life but here she had found back to her old self.

Sure both of them would forever be changed by what happened but it could have been worse. Nunnally was still able to enjoy life to its fullest like she had always done, despite occasional nightmares, missing their mother and her sudden muteness. He couldn't help but think that the change in scenery had actually helped her.

From how much would he have been able to protect her back in Britannia?

Would she have lost her easy going nature completely when she realised what he and their mother had always protected her from?

A slight movement brought him out of his musings and he once again looked at the other boy. Could he trust him? Should he?

But this was not Britannia and Suzaku was not thinking up ways to use them. He just genuinely wanted a friend. And for some reason, Lelouch should be that friend.

He took a deep breath and proceeded to tell him about his life and for once he didn't try to keep his emotions concealed.

He was surprised when at the end he felt better than he had in a long time. Pouring out his thoughts and feelings during the tale had been liberating in a way he hadn't thought possible.

.

* * *

.

"Nunnally wants to know what you do when you run around in a skirt and carry a wooden stick."

"What?"

"Sorry, she insisted I ask like that."

Suzaku gazed down at the silently giggling girl and his shocked expression instantly turned to a smiling one. When she was done she gazed at him like a curious cat and he then tried to explain what Kendo was and that he was training each day.

"It sounds a bit similar to fencing."

Which led to Lelouch explaining the favourite sport of the royals, or better the required sport of the royals as not all of his siblings enjoyed it. He had always liked the precision and the fast pace needed.

*Wish I could do*

Nunnally still preferred writing over signing but she was getting better.

"Mother promised that you would be allowed lessons and I see no reason why you shouldn't try it, or Kendo if you prefer that. As long as you're careful and don't overdo it you can still try and do everything you want."

*But I will never be good at it*

"And? That doesn't matter. What's important is that you have fun. No one can be good at everything. I'm sure you will find something that you enjoy and that you will be really good at, but you can't find it if you don't try things out."

"Your brother is right. For example, you've gotten a lot better at folding origami than I am, because you practice more. I can teach you a few things about Kendo if you want?"

Suzaku received a beaming smile and a tight hug as answer.

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* * *

.

After that Suzaku started to teach her a few things and when the next visit of his Sensei was coming, Nunnally had begged and pleaded to be allowed to watch. He had refused at first, knowing that Lelouch would also come and not wanting both of them to see him beaten again and again. And most likely falling on his behind quite a few times.

But when Nunnally wanted something it was incredibly hard to not agree.

So when the day came he got up early, dressed in his training clothes and then went to pick up the siblings.

Nunnally was giggling the moment she saw him and when asked why she still got so much amusement out of his dress-up she wrote her answer down fast. Apparently it now had more to do with her memories than actually finding his outfit funny. Remembering her brothers reluctance and grumblings when she insisted he ask the question the way she had wanted and his own reactions to the question.

He couldn't really glare at her for long as answer to that explanation as her amusement was just sweet. All the way to the training room she would occasionally dance around them in excitement, beaming at them now and then in happiness. She was getting better at knowing how much she cold do before she got problems with her breathing.

Tohdoh had already been waiting for him outside and the good mood vanished quickly at the scowl the older man was throwing their way. Suzaku wondered about the reason as he was still a few minutes early.

"I didn't know we would have guests today."

"I'm sorry Sensei, they just want to watch. I didn't think it would be a problem."

It was then that Lelouch inserted himself into the discussion, surprising both of them. Suzaku hadn't known that his Japanese had gotten this good to understand everything even if he switched language for his answer.

"I apologise if it is an inconvenience to you, sir. But I promise we just want to watch and you will not even notice our presence."

Nunnally instantly recognised the change in behaviour of her brother, as his normal relaxed posture grew more guarded and he slowly changed into a prince again. Approachable and nice of course but careful. When the man glared at them she quickly hid herself halfway behind her brother. She really only wanted to watch, that shouldn't be too much trouble.

"This isn't a school camp or a vacation."

"Of course it isn't. But I don't see the problem in watching Suzaku train. I doubt you talk about serious matters in that time and if you do you can just ask us to leave early. I wouldn't even want to be present for it after all. What I don't know, I can't be accused of sharing."

"I have heard you spent a lot of time with Lord Kirihara." Suzaku couldn't understand the suspicion he could hear in that sentence. From what he knew they played chess and talked, nothing more.

"We enjoy talking with each other. Mostly history and often during a game of chess. We don't talk about current happenings as we both understand perfectly that that would be a bad idea on both our sides."

Lelouch stared back calmly at the older man. He knew that he was in the army and quite close to the Kururugi family, apart from that he didn't know much. He hadn't even allowed Suzaku to tell him much about his teacher. Like he said, what he didn't know he couldn't be accused of sharing, not that he had any way of contacting his family. They were not allowed to contact anyone from Britannia and most wouldn't even be interested in a call or mail from them.

"Maybe I now understand better why Kirihara enjoys spending time with you. Come in, all of you."

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* * *

.

Kirihara had just come back from a meeting and had decided to once again join Lelouch in the library. While he had not told the young prince that he would be coming today he had heard the staff talking that he was once again holed up in his favourite room. He had to smile at that, whenever possible the royal child could be found here.

When he entered he heard the sounds of someone readjusting like he was now used to. Whenever he entered he found the boy sitting all proper in whatever seat he had chosen for the day. The sounds directly after the opening of the door telling him that he was doing it only when he had company.

"So, what are you reading today?"

Kirihara asked while further walking into the room and taking a seat opposite the child.

"Not reading today. Studying Japanese."

"Where's your sister at the moment? I know Suzaku has lessons." While Lelouch certainly trusted them now more than at the beginning he seldom let his sister out of his eyes and with Suzaku also not available he just wondered.

"She is taking a nap right now. We took a longer walk today and I showed her a few fencing moves she asked for and it tired her out."

"And instead of enjoying the nice weather and playing outside you scoop yourself up in here?"

"It's actually one of the few times for me to further my personal studies. I'm certain I will be spending time outside with Nunnally and Suzaku later."

"I don't think I have ever encountered such a hard working child. Mind if I ask why that is?"

Kirihara could see the hesitation in his young companion. He had learned a lot about the child in the last weeks and the dedication he showed to the things he was doing or wanted to learn, like Japanese, was something quite unreal for a child his age.

"You know we were send here shortly after our mother died."

He only nodded as answer. It was not really a secret as Britannia had to somehow explain Nunnallys new muteness and of course they always tried to stay up to date on Britannian news. But more information they had actually gained when the siblings arrived, not that Lelouch was very forthcoming with information but to acquire a teacher and help for his sister he had had to swallow his pride and ask for it and in exchange they had gotten more details.

He was not the only one horrified that these two had been chosen to stay in Japan. Only recently going through a tragedy and then sent away from home. It hadn't made Britannia look better and even the most hard-felt patriots were repulsed by this political move. They were brothers or fathers themselves.

Lelouch regarded the old Japanese silently for quite some time. Weighing his options and what to reveal. He trusted the other on a certain level and had come to greatly respect him in the last weeks.

"Early and thorough education is a requirement for all imperial children. But as my mother was of common birth we were always under more scrutiny then the rest. Because of that she was quite adamant that we take our studies even more seriously and work harder than our half-siblings. Even now I want to do her proud that's why I take any time I can to study and better myself as she would have expected of me.

"Despite that she also was of the firm opinion that we should be allowed to play around when we have the time and I try to do that for Nunnally, making sure she can enjoy herself."

Kirihara was quite surprised by how much information he was getting, not only that which was easy to hear but also what was hidden between the sentences. It wasn't that surprising that life as a royal child wasn't so easy, even Suzaku had additional training and studies because of his father's position. But the things Lelouch read and easily understood and the talks about history and past politics had shown him how vastly knowledgeable the child was. Surely far past any child his age.

But he also continued to read, to learn more. He also wasn't biased and was open for discussion and handled different viewpoints fairly well. Kirihara had found him fascinating right from the start and now he finally got a bit of an understanding how he became how he was.

It was also true that he took care of always taking off time for his sister and Suzaku now that they were friends and even Kaguya when she came to visit. It seemed to him that Lelouch always had a planned schedule for the day despite not being expected to do anything. He could kind of freely move around and he most certainly wasn't required to do anything and despite the freedom he had, he planned their days to fit work and play into it.

"I am sure she would be quite satisfied with your behaviour. Now, can I help you with your studies?"

Kirihara had no problem in teaching the child whatever he could. Sure, they stayed far away from the present situation and politics but other than that everything was fair game and he enjoyed the bright mind of Lelouch vi Britannia. Any topic was open to them but if today's schedule was Japanese he was quite happy to help. Teaching him their language was rewarding and enjoyable on many levels.

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* * *

.

While the arrival of the two royal children had managed to calm the sakuradite-conflict somewhat it didn't take long before it grew strained once again between the two countries.

As the atmosphere between Britannia and Japan once again started to become hostile the siblings were once again accompanied by a guard. This time not to make sure they didn't run away as by now everyone knew that they enjoyed their time despite the reason for their stay. It was more to make sure that no one took out their hostile thoughts of everything Britannia against them as the household got more and more visitors but also to make sure Britannia couldn't take them back in secret.

It just happened that it was actually Tohdoh that was walking around with them after a training session when Britannia moved but definitely not in the way they expected.

They had been taking their walk through the forest after the training so that Nunnally could stretch her legs after sitting still for some time. They never ventured far into the woods anymore but still enough to enjoy the quiet sounds of nature.

Their peaceful time was cut short when someone came out of a hiding spot behind some trees and grabbed Lelouch in a steel-grip around his neck from behind, holding a dagger to his throat.

"Give me the princess and no one will be hurt."

Tohdoh was quite surprised by how calm the prince stayed only making strange movements with his hands and when Suzaku immediately took a hold of Nunnally, preventing her from moving towards them he understood that it had likely been sign language.

"What do you want with them? They are guests and as long as Britannia doesn't officially ask for their release they will stay here under my protection."

"They belong to Britannia and I am taking them back."

Before Tohdoh could come up with a retort it was Lelouch that spoke up.

"I can't help but see the similarities. Are you sure you have come to bring us home or were you sent to finish what was started in the Aries Villa?"

Despite not being able to see the facial reaction to that statement, Lelouch clearly felt the tensing of the body behind him and that was all the answer he needed. He gestured the word 'blind' to Suzaku and was happy when he immediately turned Nunnally around so she was facing him and pulling her against his chest so she wouldn't be able to turn back around.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. My orders are to bring you back to Pendragon."

Tohdoh watched as the boy seemingly understood the situation better and because he was looking for it he saw Lelouch forming his right hand into a 'gun', he tightened his grip on the weapon he was still pointing to the ground and received a tiny nod.

"I am sure they are. But I am also sure that my father would not pull us out until he couldn't exploit our presence here any more. So with that reasoning, you are in fact too early. Timing is important after all."

At the word 'timing' Lelouch stretched four fingers to the ground before curling one after the other into a fist while talking. Shortly after he was done and his attacker started an answer the last finger was curled into a fist and as the grip had slackened slightly he was able to turn into the 'embrace' of his offender at that moment. This way Tohdoh got the room needed to kill without endangering the prince.

Suzaku had closed his eyes and tightened his grip on Nunnally when the gun shot sounded and the next thing he knew were gentle hands trying to free the girl from his arms. He turned away instinctively, shielding the small girl from the hands but when he opened his eyes he only saw the worried face of Lelouch. He didn't dare looking towards the spot he had been in before but let the prince take his sister for him.

"Quick, we have to get back to the house!"

Tohdoh was beside the children and steered his pupil in the right direction while keeping an eye on their surroundings. He saw Lelouch speaking fast to his sister before she quickly and expertly climbed on his back and then they were running back the way they had come from.

The next day the invasion started.

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* * *

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"Keep walking, Suzaku."

Lelouch steadfastly looked ahead to where he was walking, feeling the comfortable weight of Nunnally on his back. He was glad that she had agreed to wear a blindfold when he wanted her to but she had still seen more than he would have liked already. His sister had gone through enough in the last months, she didn't need to see the death and destruction brought by their own country.

They had been on their way to another safe house when they had been attacked and the three of them had barely been able to get away. It was only thanks to his quick thinking and Suzakus ability to even defeat a grown man and soldier that had given them enough time to run away. The soldiers that had accompanied them hadn't been so lucky.

When he still didn't hear footsteps behind him he stopped and looked back.

Suzaku was clearly struggling and he had to contain a sigh before he turned around and walked back to his friend. He understood the other boy but they had to keep moving if they ever wanted to reach their destination.

When he drew nearer to the other he could hear the choked off sobs the other was trying to hide and when he stopped in front of him he saw the tears.

"Suzaku, we have to keep moving."

"But..."

Before he could come up with something that would help the other he was poked by Nunnally in a certain way, so he carefully let her down and stirred her in front of Suzaku. He wasn't surprised when she engulfed him in a tight hug and let the Japanese boy clung back to her. He saw the shudders running through the body of their friend but he heard no sounds of his anguish. When he had calmed down enough, Nunnally withdrew and started to sign rapidly.

Suzaku had tried to follow what she was saying, but his vision was blurred from tears and she was signing too fast for him. He heard Lelouch sigh and looked to him for an answer.

"It would be as harsh to him as it was to you."

He watched her sign an answer and the only word he could really pick up was 'truth' and 'need'. Whatever it was Lelouch didn't seem too comfortable with it.

"What is it?"

"Nunnally wants me to tell you something I said to her shortly after she lost her voice. I was… not at my best and quite harsh with what I said."

As the tears where slowly getting less Suzaku was able to follow the answer of the girl. Something about a needed harsh truth and that she was thankful for it. It was confirmed when she held out her hand for Lelouch to grasp and drew him into a hug this time. He watched as his friend smiled a sad smile before settling his arms around her.

Lelouch was so proud of his little sister he couldn't put it into words. He looked up and gave Suzaku a steady and unrelenting gaze.

"Listen to me Suzaku. Yes, this is horrible. But neither one of us can change what has already happened. We can't afford to let our emotions run wild or we will lose. We have to look forward and concentrate on the path ahead of us."

He had changed the wording slightly but the main message was the same. He had been at the end of his own limit when he had been this harsh to his sister and she had been crying so hard again that her breathing was getting difficult again and he hadn't wanted to see her gasping for breath again. It had hurt every time and he had snapped a bit at her.

But apparently his guilt was misplaced as she seemed to be truly thankful for these words and when he thought back now he could see how she had calmed down the following days. Following the directions of the doctors and nurses with less complaint and doing her breathing exercises.

It seemed to have an effect on Suzaku too as he nodded and visibly drew himself together.

He controlled the blindfold of Nunnally once again, making sure it hadn't become misplaced during this before letting her climb on his back again.

"Keep your gaze on me Suzaku and don't look left or right."

Lelouch got another nod from Suzaku and with that he turned and started walking again in the right direction. He couldn't protect his friend as much from what was around them as he did with Nunnally but he could try to make it easier on him. He would look out for them and make sure they stayed on the right path towards the next safe house. He would do everything he could to keep the two people safe that meant so much to him. His little sister and his first real friend.

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* * *

.

Lelouch was standing next to Nunnally, a bit apart from the rest of the small gathering. He had a hard time believing that Genbu Kururugi had committed suicide, but here they were, at his impromptu burial.

Most people had already left as the fire burned down and he knew that soon he and his sister would also leave. They would leave a lot behind and it hurt that he would be separated from Suzaku, especially now that he had lost his father. But the situation was rather dire and now without Genbu he feared that the voices that wanted to use the royal siblings for their own gain would become more and louder.

Kirihara had promised to help and they would soon get into the car that was waiting for them that would bring them to a location of his choosing were they would hopefully find shelter. As much as he didn't want to see Japan fall it seemed inevitable and he had no interest in being used for political means again. In addition to that he also didn't want to go back to Britannia after their plan failed and it would do just that.

Britannia was not known for giving into pressure of any kind. If they tried to stop Britannia by threatening to kill Nunnally and himself they would quickly find out that his father didn't care much for his children. They were just tools in his arsenal and nothing more.

No, he wouldn't endanger Nunnally one way or another.

Kirihara, bless him, was of the same opinion and over the last months spent at the Kururugi house, Lelouch had come to greatly respect the old man and they had both enjoyed their talks of history and politics of countries long past. Never had he been treated like a mere child but also never as a prince which had contributed to the relaxed atmosphere during their talks. Now Kirihara would help them escape another political scheme that would use them, he couldn't be more grateful.

Lelouch looked down to Nunnally seeing that her tears had dried and she was watching Suzaku with a sad gaze as he sat a little bit away all by himself. She was carefully holding a red crane that Kaguya had given her the last time they had seen the other girl.

He stroked through her hair before bending down and kissing her forehead. He then walked to Suzaku, using the short distance to observe his friend closely.

He seemed kind of detached from what was going on, for just losing his father he seemed quite composed which didn't sit right with Lelouch. Suzaku wasn't the kind of boy to keep his emotions under control, he was the exact opposite of himself, showing his emotions freely as he had probably not been taught from early childhood that was a weakness that could be explored by opponents.

It was just wrong to see him like this. Hunched forward staring at the ground, no tears and while there was sadness in his stance it was not as much as he would have expected. Maybe everything they had gone through and seen had contributed to that and the death of his father was the last straw and Suzaku was not able to deal with another horror so soon. Later when he had time to process everything he would probably break down but for now it seemed like the younger boy couldn't deal with it.

He hated seeing him like this. Seeing the destruction brought by Britannia and the unnecessary invasion that even brought a man like the Prime Minister to his knees. Wasn't it enough that they had been sent here? Now they wanted to own the whole country and for what? Sakuradite? Japan had the highest resources, sure, but trading had never been a problem. Britannia was just dissatisfied with the amount, always wanting more and more. To hell with that!

That was no reason to invade, especially when the two of them were still here. They were sent to the family that would of course be a high target and from what he had seen that hadn't stopped direct attacks on locations that would likely hold the Prime Minister and his advisors.

As everyone knew that, and of course they didn't want to lose their hostages, they had been carefully hidden away. The attack that had separated them from their entourage on their way to a different location had been more of a lucky shot from what he had heard. After that they had never been in any more danger than the people around them.

That didn't mean that he hadn't picked up on the fact that Japan was losing. It hurt to see the country destroyed and the people he had come to like and respect lose everything and their hurt hadn't left him untouched.

These people had always been friendly to them, offering help for Nunnally and never once looking down on her because of her newfound disability. There had been pity yes, but never had they ridiculed her. Seeing her muteness not as weakness but just a tragedy and helping her dealing with it. It was more than she would have gotten back at Pendragon. While Lelouch had kept her away from it he himself had clearly heard all the talks about her. Not only was she of common blood, now she had also lost her voice, reducing her worth marginally.

Why was it that they had met more friendly faces in a sea of strangers in a foreign land when their own country only looked down on them and it was a daily struggle to prove yourself?

He would now lose everything dear to him for a second time. Well, not exactly, Nunnally was still by his side and he would do everything to make sure that it stayed that way.

But Britannia had first taken his mother, the one person guiding him, encouraging him to live up to is potential despite whatever others threw at him. After Nunnally the most important person in his life. He had lost her and the only family he cared about shortly after, namely Euphy and Cornelia and perhaps Schneizel, the only siblings he really cared about.

And now Britannia had taken his refuge too. Suzaku had become his first real friend, Euphy and Cornelia were family and Schneizel was… something. But Suzaku didn't have any reason to be with him, no familiar obligations or connection and most importantly wasn't trying to gain anything from him by befriending him and Nunnally.

That meant the world to him. Some of the other people he had met here had also treated them so much better than most had back in Pendragon and most without any hidden meaning. As much as she had tried his patience Kaguya had brought joy to Nunnally making her laugh with silly stories, never mind that most of it had probably been lost in translation but she had been happy spending time with the other girl.

All in all they had found happiness and friends in the most unlikely of places. Who would have thought that being send away as political hostages would be the best thing to happen to them.

He realised that Suzaku had been staring at him for quite some time while he stood before him, lost in his thoughts. When he met the gaze of his friend with his own he could see the deep pain lurking in those green eyes even if at first glance one would only see a question.

"Suzaku… I swear to you… One day, I will change Britannia… I will change it to a better country and give Japan his freedom back!"

He met the shocked expression with a determined one, letting the other see the anger that had been cursing inside him for quite some time. Allowing Suzaku to see the emotions he normally kept hidden.

Somehow, someday he would return to Britannia and show his adversaries why they should have feared him instead of looking down on him. There was a reason why he was seen as a likely heir to the throne even at the age of ten.

When he went back he would have more power so that not even his father would ever think of him as weak again. He would make his mother proud by never forgetting her teachings and growing into the kind of heir she had envisioned for him. Proving to everyone that she and her children were not to be trifled with.

He would show them all, show them the true strength of the vi Britannias!

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* * *

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	3. The Present I

**Chapter:** This chapter was quite difficult to write. I've rewritten parts of it quite often.

 **N** **otes** : I hate retelling Canon. If I don't change it, I'll not write it. If you read CG fanfiction you should know what happens in Canon and fill in the blanks.

 **Update** **s** : I'm sorry? While I said that I won't update regularly I didn't imagine that Ch3 would take that long. Well Life got in the way and what little writing time I had went mostly to my main story. I can't promise anything concerning the next chapters.

 **Beta** : STILL WANTED!

 **Thanks:** Especially to the reviewers. I am happy that the story seems to be well received for now. I'm looking forwards to your thoughts on this chapter.

Special Thanks to Follower 100: **Venus5-Gryffindor**

 **.**

 **Word Count** : 9.313

 **Published:** **201** **8** **-0** **1** **-** **14**

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 **Chapter Three: The Present I**

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 **The** **P** **resent,** **March 2017 a.t.b.**

.

"You have a problem with mindless killing!? Then you should fight **against** Britannia!"

Suzaku couldn't believe what he was hearing and seeing. It was like a memory. The tone of voice, the arrogant and confidant posture even in such a situation. A steely and determined glare directed at him while walking out of the shadows. He barely could believe his eyes. He had worried for seven years, never believing the proclamation that the two royal siblings were dead and now in front of him was standing Lelouch vi Britannia himself. He was older, yes, but apart from that he didn't seem to have changed.

"Lelouch?"

His question is met with a shocked expression and the other stopped in his tracks. He quickly took of his helmet, not hiding the happy smile as he met the violet eyes after so many years.

"It's me, Suzaku."

The shock turned into a disbelieving frown. "You became a Britannian soldier?"

Suzaku hid a wince. How often had he heard that after introducing himself but somehow when said by Lelouch he reacted with indignation.

"And you? You became a terrorist?"

The answer he got was so much like the Lelouch he had known his frown turned into a smile again.

"Of course, that's why I took part of an operation of this magnitude in an easily recognisable _Britannian_ school uniform. Idiot."

While the first part was said with heavy sarcasm the last word was said with fond exasperation and a sigh. How often had he heard that one word said in the same tone? Hearing it brought forth memories of easier days, of happy times.

Before either of them could say anything further the capsule beside them started to hiss and begin to open. Acting purely on instinct Suzaku took his mouth piece and pressed it on Lelouch while simultaneously backing him further inside the truck and away.

He expected smoke to come from it but the only thing that happened was the side parts of the capsule falling away, revealing a green haired girl in a straight jacket lying at the bottom of it.

"I thought it was poison gas..."

Lelouch scoffed at that, quickly regaining his senses and moving towards the girl. She hadn't moved at all and the first thing he did was check her pulse which was steady. Holding up her eyelid for a moment revealed blown pupils and he picked her up before leaving the truck and gently laying her down on the ground.

"Really Suzaku? Does this girl look like poison gas?"

He started to undo the restraints and was thankful when his childhood friend finally got his bearings back and started to help him.

"That's what they told us in the briefing."

"Ah! And of course they would always tell the truth, especially to those at the bottom of the ladder. Look here."

He had freed her arms and had moved one sleeve as far as possible. There were scars on the arm but he pointed to the many puncture wounds on the inside of her elbow.

"What do you think that means?"

"Could be a lot of different things. But Clovis clearly wanted to hide her existence, hence the strange way of transporting her. She's most likely a prisoner and has apparently been repeatedly drugged."

"But… why would his highness do that?"

Suzaku watched as the other flinched at that and hid a grimace of his own. Always referring to the higher ups in the right way had been drilled into him. For Lelouch who could remember him ranting about Britannia and throwing less than nice words at him at the beginning just because he was a prince, it must be quite a shock.

He looked down again at the scars and wounds, wondering what she could have done to deserve such a treatment. She couldn't be much older than Lelouch and himself and it really was strange that she was transported in a capsule that led to the belief that it contained poison gas. Just like Lelouch had pointed out but the other had always been able to think quickly no matter the situation. While he still wondered, the prince had already thought about most likely answers. That clearly also hadn't changed.

When the girl moved slightly, both of them looked down at her. Maybe she would wake up and they would get more information.

And as the two boys were otherwise occupied they didn't hear the arrival of the Royal Guard until the leader spoke.

"You insolent monkey! You didn't have the authority to open the capsule!"

Suzaku instantly stood up, obedience drilled into his body and ran up to the commander, standing at attention and saluting.

"Sir, I was told that this was poison gas and..."

He wasn't allowed to finish his sentence, which would have ended in an explanation.

"You don't have the right to argue. But you did find the stolen goods and for that you shall be rewarded."

Suzaku looked at the gun in confusion that was held out to him. As Honorary Britannian he wasn't allowed to carry a weapon and he couldn't understand why he would now be given one when he clearly had done something wrong in the eyes of the commander.

"Take this gun and execute the terrorist and your misstep might be overlooked."

Suzaku looked at the Britannian in shock before quickly turning around and settling his gaze on Lelouch. He saw that the other had moved, hoisting the girl up into a sitting position and holding her upright and against him. He couldn't let anything happen to him, not when he had finally found him again.

"He is different! A civilian that has been caught up in this!"

"I don't care. This is an order, Private! You pledged yourself to Britannia, so do what you're told."

He turned slightly, so that he could get a good look at Lelouch one last time. He saw realization in the violet eyes before he said the words.

"I can't and I won't. I could never shoot a civilian like him."

He gave the other a sad smile, trying to convey his feelings. He wanted to apologise, wanted to tell him how happy he was to finally know for sure that he was still alive.

He wasn't too surprised to hear that he should die and the following sound of a gunshot accompanied by a sharp pain in his side didn't even really register. He held the gaze of his friend for as long as he could while his body dropped to the ground.

The last thing he saw before he lost consciousness were eyes the colour of amethyst watching in shock and anger at what was happening in front of him.

"How unfortunate for you, you seem to be a Britannian student. Retrieve the woman and kill the student."

When Lelouch heard the order he was finally able to overcome his shock and let his anger course through, clearing his mind he looked at the soldiers that had levelled their weapons at him. Going through his options and calculating his chances against them he came up with not so favourable odds.

Not hesitating any longer he pushed the girl to the ground, protected her head with his hand and rolled them under the truck to the other side while the soldiers opened fire. But seemingly a little too late as they only hit the truck and the floor where they had been moments before.

When he stopped moving he still held the girl protectively and didn't let her go when he set up. Looking down at her revealed that her eyes were open but still glassy. She was awake but barely and seemed to not be aware of her surroundings.

He helped her up and steadied her before starting down the tunnel. He worried that they wouldn't be able to move fast enough to escape.

But luck seemed to finally be on his side as an explosion from behind pushed them back to the ground. He tried to shield the girl but nothing more happened.

Looking back he saw that the truck had exploded. Coincident? No matter the reason it certainly blocked the path to him and he was thankful for that. He didn't allow himself to think about the person he had to leave behind. He couldn't afford to think about it, not here and now at least.

He got up again and half carried the girl further into the tunnel until they came to a small alcove where he helped her sit down again while he took out both of his phones.

Both showed that he still had no reception which was bothersome as he would really need to contact some people. Whatever was going on with this girl, it was big. Why else would a prisoner be transported in something like that capsule. Even if she were some kind of highly important prisoner it would still not explain this kind of disguise.

The terrorists had most likely also thought they were stealing poison gas which would explain that girls comment about a massacre before she left the truck.

So that meant Clovis was hiding something. Whatever he was up to had to be kept hidden under all circumstances so it was either something that could be damaging to him or he was preparing something to prove his worth as possible heir.

Over the last years Clovis had proven himself only adequate in governing and had no accomplishments that spoke for him. His one and only real talent were arts and Lelouch had thought for the longest time that his brother should have stayed with that.

Whatever it was Clovis surely wouldn't like the fact that his Royal Guard had missed its chance to retrieve the girl. Not knowing if she was still alive meant a possible security risk and his secret coming out. From the increased sounds of gunfire and explosion that were even heard and felt down here in the tunnels it could not mean anything good.

For now they had to go somewhere with a signal so that he would be able to call help or at the least get more information about what was going on. He pocketed his phones after checking once again if the sound was off. Not that he had it turned on often, he preferred to always set in on vibration.

He offered the girl his hand, seeing as she seemed more aware of her surrounding and giving her the chance to stand up on her own. It wouldn't be nice to be pulling her around if she was able to do it herself.

He met her confused gaze with a smile and never broke the eye-contact while he waited. After some time he was rewarded with her taking his hand and he gently pulled her to her feet. While they certainly should hurry it couldn't hurt to treat her kindly.

She had obviously gone through some horrors and even if she had been imprisoned because she was dangerous he hoped that she wouldn't turn on him. He had essentially rescued her and if he could gain her trust he would have an easier time getting information from her.

They continued their way through the tunnels, searching for an exit that hadn't caved in and he still helped her but she was already much more steady on her feet.

When they finally found an exit he directed her into a one way side tunnel.

"Please wait for me here. I will see what's going on and hopefully get help. No matter what happens don't come out until I get you. Should something happen your best bet would probably be going back and finding a different path. Okay?"

He was a bit unsettled by her gaze. He didn't know if it was due to whatever chemical was still coursing through her or something else, but the emotionless eyes regarding him where not expected from a girl in her position. She hadn't reacted to anything that had happened around them up till now and he wasn't really sure how aware she was of her surroundings.

Therefore he was more than glad when he received a small nod and smiled back at her. She moved further into the shadows and he turned to slowly walk towards the exit.

Carefully he crept up the stairs until he could take a peek outside and he quickly ducked back down again when he saw the soldier. Shortly after that he heard gunfire and the distinctly sounds of a body hitting the ground.

"There are only Elevens here, Sir."

"This is the only exit?"

"According to our maps, yes."

"Then we will wait here."

He slowly moved down the stairs once again., but not before hearing the cries of an infant that was immediately silenced. He cringed. What was it with Britannia that it seemed that they didn't posses one feeling bone inside them.

All in all he was in a worse initial situation than anticipated but he hoped that his guess would prove right. He took out one of his phones once again, glad to see a signal before starting to type a coded message.

* * *

Jeremiah Gottwald was trying to find the red Glasgow again, moving through the ghetto and looking for possible routes it may have taken. He ignored the civilians that run from his Knightmare and shot only half-heartedly at them when comrades where near to keep up appearances.

He contemplated his next step when he felt the phone in his breast pocket vibrate.

He quickly brought his Knightmare into a hiding place before scrambling to get the device out. Seldom did he get a message or a call but he always had it with him and knew that whenever he received something it was important.

He quickly decoded the message and couldn't stop the feeling of dread and fear welling up inside of him. Nothing could have been worse than what he was reading right now.

Pulling himself together he checked the coordinates of the message with his screen and was thankful to see that he wasn't too far away.

He left his hiding place and first went into the opposite direction of his path before reaching for his Knightmare Key and pushing a hidden bottom. He waited for ten seconds before changing course again and rushing towards his destination.

He made sure to not be seen by his fellow Britannians which cost him time and he gritted his teeth and tried speeding up a bit more. He could only hope that he would be there in time.

When he neared his goal he slowed down again as to not be heard too soon and when he compared his map with his surroundings he saw one old warehouse and slowly moved inside.

He was trained to analyse a situation in seconds but it was still difficult to process the fact that he was standing in front of Clovis' personal Guard, who all turned to him, guns ready.

"We have everything under control here. Please continue with your duties."

While their attention was on him he looked around once more and saw, for a moment, what he came here for. This was the confirmation he had needed.

"That's exactly why I'm here. I'm following orders."

Before the other could question his answer he levelled the gun of his Sutherland at them and let loose a volley of bullets.

It was over in seconds.

He hadn't hesitated and he didn't think twice about it and no matter what he couldn't find it in himself to regret what he had done. Moving around the bodies now lying on the ground, he had eyes only for the figure now emerging from an underground stairwell.

He moved his frame into a kneeling position in front of him and waited.

* * *

Lelouch smirked at the Knightmare in front of him, happy to know that Jeremiah knew better than to address him in uncertain territory.

"Well done and thank you. Barricade the entrance."

While the frame moved back to the entrance he went back down to retrieve the girl. He noted with curiosity that she didn't bat an eyelash at all the dead people scattered around.

He met up with Jeremiah in a rather clean corner near the entrance and ordered him out of the cockpit before taking his place.

He pulled out his phone once again and called a secure number.

"Have you gotten my message? Okay and the signal from Jeremiah? Perfect than link yourself up with his systems and see what you can find out."

He waited for the screen to ask for a password and typed it in, then watched for a short moment as a mass of data flashed over the screens. He searched through the cockpit and found three bottles of water and a first-aid kit and took everything back down with him. The other two both watched him silently and the Margrave expectantly.

He opened one bottle, took a sip before holding it out to the girl and gave her a smile when she took it.

"Jeremiah I need another Knightmare, anyone in your troops you wouldn't mind missing?"

"There is one. He has started to intrigue against me, it seems like he's trying to gain my position, he could become bothersome."

"Then we have to lure him here without him notifying the higher ups of where he's going. I'm certain the Royal Guard has radioed their last position in."

"If he thinks I've been injured he surely would wait with contact until he knows details, hoping he could let it look like the doings of the terrorists."

"Good, than do that."

He settled down beside where the girl had sat down and offered her the second bottle when he saw that she had finished the first. He again drank from it first to show her that it would do no harm.

"Do you have any injuries we should take care of?"

"No. Do you have a knife or anything sharp?"

The tone was flat and she regarded him with expressionless eyes. What a strange girl.

"Why do you need one?"

"You will see. I'm not going to attack you, I promise."

He held her gaze while contemplating her request. She probably wouldn't attack him but he hadn't survived this long because he was trusting.

In the end he pulled out two of his hidden kunais and gave one to her while he held the other loosely.

She didn't spare the second blade more than a glance before she pulled her left sleeve up. Before he could react she was already cutting deep into her own arm and was astonished to see that she didn't even react to the pain that must cause her.

"What… what are you doing?"

When he finally reached for the dagger she was already done and was now calmly opening the first-aid box and withdrawing a forceps and starting to dig around in the new wound.

"Removing the GPS. There it is."

He was shocked to see a small chip being pulled out and put aside which she then stabbed with the blade before holding it out to him, handle first.

Still trying to process what was happening he took it automatically.

"Who are you?"

"Test subject number C-2. Now I have a wound that needs to be treated."

With that she held her bleeding arm out to him and he could only stare at her in response. But instinct overcame shock and he drew the box to him and retrieved what he needed.

"This should be stitched but we neither have the time nor the utensils for that right now."

She shrugged as answer and he quickly did the best he could with what was provided.

For now the best course of action seemed to be to just go with whatever happened, he would have time to think later but there was one thing he couldn't let rest. As he was finishing up the bandage he had to ask even if it clearly wasn't the right place or time for that.

"When you say test subject..."

"It means what you probably think. Human experimentation."

He could only shake his head as he felt fury coursing through him.

"Clovis, you damn fool..."

Coughing from behind brought him back to the matters at hand. Jeremiah had stayed at some distance after he was done but now he indicated that they should get moving. Standing up he quickly looked around. He noted with relief that Jeremiah had removed the barricade of the door once again.

"Okay, Jeremiah sit down against your Knightmare. When your comrade comes, tell him you're injured and can't move your legs but you think one of the Royal Guards is still alive and he should check on them."

When he turned back to the girl he saw her moving away from him and she pointed to the underground entrance they had left earlier. He nodded back at her before going over to the dead soldiers and picked up the first handgun he saw. He checked it to make sure it was loaded and the safety was off before also moving towards the stairs.

Before he could vanish from sight he was stopped.

"Sir?"

"I will deal with your friend. Cough at the right moment."

"But…!"

He shot a glare at the sitting man before he could even think about standing up again and nodded sharply when the other shut up and leaned back against the machine again.

At the bottom of the steps he could see the girl and he settled himself into position.

When the other purist came through the small opening everything happened exactly as he thought. The combination of his injured superior, whose job he wanted and the opportunity to rescue someone of the personal Guard of a prince was enough to make him leave the safety of his Knightmare.

When Jeremiah gave the signal he readied the gun before taking the last step needed to look out of his hiding place. The purist was kneeling by the fallen soldiers and he took aim and pulled the trigger.

Whatever his name was slumped down beside the others and Jeremiah wasted no time in getting up and checking him.

Lelouch motioned to the girl to come with him and he moved back into the warehouse, looking at the frame he had just acquired. With that he could execute the plan that had been forming in his mind.

"Perfect head shot, sir."

He nodded in acknowledgement, that was the reason he had switched to a gun. He had more accuracy with that than with a dagger.

"So, I have come up with a plan to get us all safely out of here. That's what we will do..."

.

* * *

.

They had left the warehouse at the same time but took different routes.

Jeremiah would bring the girl to safety and he really hoped that she had enough trust for him to stay where she was brought. He would really like to get to know more about what Clovis has been up to and he would be well equipped in hiding her away.

He had promised that he would take care of her if she would trust him and help her get her life back. He really hoped she believed him.

After that he had directed his Knightmare to the heart of the fights, directing the red Glasgow he had seen before to the train and helping her survive that way. He was intrigued by her, she seemed to be quite a good pilot, despite having the older frame she knew how to handle it and still win against newer and better ones.

Now he watched as the small group searched through the train and get the equipment they would need to end this massacre. He had wanted to step up his plans in the near future and this was the perfect starting point. He couldn't have wished for something better to finally start his rising. Clovis had given him the perfect opening. Especially as he also couldn't just look away from what his brother was doing here.

"Are you ready, P1? We will start soon."

"Yes. But first, tell us who you are."

"I am Zero."

Ohgi couldn't believe what he had just heard and stared at the transmitter in shock.

Nearly everyone knew the 'name' Zero. He was everywhere, helping feeding the Japanese in the ghettos, trying to give them as much medical help as possible. He had a vast network of people that worked together to help out each other in the various ghettos.

He also worked together with certain rebel groups and they had hoped to be allowed into their network after stealing the weapon from Britannia. His friend Naoto had been a huge fan of Zero, saying that he had the right approach on the resistance.

"Are you really _the_ Zero?"

"Of course. Now get to the points as instructed, we don't have much time."

"Ah… of course! Everyone follow the instructions. Let's get going!"

He heard Tamaki grumble but ignored it, he felt the adrenaline coursing through him. Even if he really wasn't the Zero, what choice did they have? They had been in a tight spot before they were contacted and had now been given the means to really fight back. In reality, following the voice was the only thing they could do if they wanted to survive.

It didn't take long to prove that that had been the right choice as the voice commanded them from point to point and bringing victory after victory.

Lelouch stayed hidden as much as he could but lend aid when it was needed, he didn't want to overwhelm himself with commanding and fighting at the same time, not now that he had finally stepped out of the shadows.

Still, it was easier than he could have ever imagined. Clovis was a bigger fool than he thought and had apparently not gotten any better in strategy.

It was then that a message flashed on his screens.

'Lloyd Asplund has just contacted Clovis offering his help. He was refused, but...'

He messaged back an understanding before concentrating back on the fighting.

Lelouch knew that Lloyd Asplund had come to Japan some time ago and that Clovis hadn't been too happy with having him here. He had known about Lloyd in a different context but after he came here it had been important to find out more.

Research had brought forth that the Earl had finished Imperial Colchester Institute with high marks in science and mechanics. He found some information that afterwards he started his own research organisation called Camelot with his inheritance but burned his money quite quickly.

Next he had tried to find sponsors with the nobility which he probably found as the next years there couldn't be found much on his doings. It had been Jeremiah who met the scientist at a gathering for the nobility of Area 11 shortly after he arrived. Careful research had brought forth that Camelot was now an irregular division of the Britannia military under the protection of Prince Schneizel.

They didn't have much information on what they were doing. They had not tried too hard to breach the systems of Camelot as the defences were tight. Lelouch was sure that whatever they did had to do with Knightmares, either they were developing new weapons or building a new prototype. Considering the strength of their security he would bet on the later. Which meant this could quickly turn around should they deploy whatever the mad scientist has built.

It was a variable he couldn't plan for as he had no further information but it was good to know that they were here. His screens showed that Clovis made one bad decision after another, including sending troops meant for his own protection out on the battlefield.

Time to see what his brother would do when tasting defeat.

"Q1, are your maps accurate?"

"As much as they can be. They are based on the old city."

"That should do. How about we take care of this?"

Kallen wondered if that was really a good idea as she looked up to the ceiling above her. Despite her worries she released her slash harken when the order came and quickly moved further down the tunnel to escape the falling debris.

"Perfect. With that we have taken out most of their units. Stay underground and move to your next coordinates."

Lelouch knew that now he had to be careful, if he remembered right, this would be the moment Clovis lost his cool. He had always had a problem with temper which meant he may fall back on whatever ASEEC had built.

He wanted and needed to safe as many machines as possible but he also wanted to safe as many civilians as possible. He had contacted a few people that lived in Shinjuku and told them to get as many to safety as possible. The inhabitants knew best were they would be safe and how to get there, he had tried to set up safe routes in all ghettos or at least give people the incentive to work on that just in case. Now it proved that that had been a good idea.

His apprehension was soon confirmed when another message flashed on his screens warning him that Clovis accepted the help of Lloyd and a bit later the first message came over the radio of a strange Knightmare but thankfully he had already ordered them to hide. He told everyone to not engage the new opponent and to carefully leave the ghetto and try to get the Knightmares somewhere safe. If they were seen they should eject instead of fight.

At this point in time it didn't matter. It would be more important to safe this cell and the frames while he would make sure that the massacre would be stopped totally. He knew exactly how to accomplish that.

He activated a different communication.

"Is everything ready on your end?"

He got the confirmation in written form on his screen and couldn't stop his smirk.

He was safe underground now and could proceed without worry.

.

* * *

.

Clovis couldn't believe what just happened. Never should someone be able to go against the strength of Britannia. Not even the prototype Knightmare made as much difference as he had hoped because while it did encounter some of the stolen frames they vanished shortly after.

At that point he decided to take what he could and ordered his troops to proceed with the complete eradication of the ghetto now that their enemies had vanished.

He looked over the map and the incoming information when his screen suddenly went black.

His first thought was that somehow they had lost energy but the digital map was still active that is when he saw the first red appear inside the black. Slowly but surely a symbol was forming and he watched in trepidation as it slowly finished appearing.

There was the shape of a bird in dark red and through the middle of the body in grey/silver a sword cut through.

Before Clovis could study it further a voice sounded over all their communicators.

"Greetings, Prince Clovis la Britannia, I am Zero. I am contacting you to negotiate the stopping of the mindless killings."

"Who are you? How have you managed to get into our systems?"

"Like I said, I am Zero. The how is not important, you should worry more about the why. Why you have ordered the death of the inhabitants of Shinjuku Ghetto. I know the real reason and therefore think we should talk."

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"No? Then I will say only one thing. Green hair."

At that point Clovis had a hard time hiding his shock and fear. It was with every last shred of nerves he managed to keep a hold on his calm mask. He couldn't risk his secret getting out, even if this person, this voice, only had found her and knew nothing more it was enough incentive for him to send away everyone beside Bartley. He couldn't take any risks.

"What do you know?"

"Enough."

"What is it that you want?"

"For you to order a complete ceasefire and medical attention not only for the soldiers but for all the people of the ghetto."

"Never!"

"Why not? What you have set out to do is already impossible. I have her and no one else has seen her. There is no further reason to this massacre and I don't take well to such injustice."

"So you're just another number? I'll never bow to your demands."

"Like I said, who I am is for now not important. But it is offending me when someone kills my people with no reason. As for my demands, you really want the world to know what you have been up to? Not even Britannia would condone what you have done. She looks European or Britannian, I'm sure the public would just love to hear that not even they are safe."

Clovis had a hard time containing the fury he was feeling, alongside the fear of his secret getting out. How had everything crumbled so quickly?

"If I order a ceasefire, I demand her back."

"I don't think so, I can't hand her back to such a life. She will be cared for and will stay free. If you stop the attack I'll not reveal what you've been up to."

"I gather I should just trust your word for that?"

"I'm not exactly an enemy. As long as you don't attack innocents I have no problem leaving you alone. I would not gain anything by not adhering to our agreement."

"Then what and who are you?"

"Someone with a claim to this country."

"A claim?"

"So, what will it be Clovis la Britannia? Shall I reveal what you've been up to or will you stop a battle that is already lost?"

.

* * *

.

Lelouch had thankfully found the girl exactly where Jeremiah had dropped her off. He hadn't been too sure if she would stay, if she would trust him enough to wait. Whatever happened to her was probably not something that would make her trust strangers, nevertheless he had hoped that he had proven himself enough to her.

First he had given her his school jacket to wear. The bottom half of her prisoner garb was inconspicuous enough after a few adjustments. With that he was able to take her back home without the need to stay hidden during the whole way.

She had followed him without protest which surprised him a bit. He did promise her a safe place to stay for now and help if she decided to leave the country, go someplace she could hide or maybe where she belonged. He didn't know her story but he would make sure that she was safe until she decided what she wanted. He would not allow her to fall back into the hands of his foolish brother.

A brother who had thankfully swallowed his pride and ordered the ceasefire, now he would have to hold up his side of the bargain, not revealing what he knew. As much as he may be able to bring a stop to whatever Clovis was up to with that action, his own plans would suffer because of it.

He now had something to control the viceroy with and that was much more important. He would find a way to end this idiocy in a manner that would benefit him even more. But he would end it. Human experimentation, whatever his brothers goals where with that, it definitely wasn't something he would allow to continue.

As soon as they were far enough away from the ghetto he called a cab and let it bring him home.

Back to Ashford Academy, his home of the last years. His sanctuary, his place and his base of operation.

Sayoko opened the door and Nunnally waited in the hall, waited until the door closed behind him and their new guest before she flung herself at him, hugging him tight. She didn't let go of him for quite some time and he had just hugged her back as fiercely as she did.

Despite the easiness of the battle against his brother there had been many times today that could have gone wrong, with him either ending up dead or taken prisoner which would have led to the reveal of their survival. Not something he would have wanted, neither of it.

As much as they may have contingency plans for such scenarios, he and his sister didn't like to dwell on them too much. They adapted it whenever it was needed but apart of that they didn't talk about it. But they were aware of the possibilities, that something could go wrong and it would only get more dangerous now.

Nunnally withdrew from the embrace, taking her brothers face in her hands and looking at him thoroughly. He seemed alright with his first brush of real danger, of having to directly go against someone of their family. She didn't expect the shadow in his eyes, she could see a hidden pain in the deep violet, well hidden but not to her.

There was something she didn't know which pained her brother and the smile he gave her was a little sad but he tipped his head a little to the left and she nodded in understanding.

Nunnally let go of him and turned a bright smile on their guest, waving at her. She didn't have the full story of her, only that they needed to hide her for some time and may need to help her flee the country, maybe set up a safe place somewhere else for the girl.

Her welcoming gestures were met with a nod but otherwise the strange girl only looked around without an expression.

*Dinner is ready, there is enough for both of you.*

"Thanks Nunnally. I'm starving and I'm pretty sure our guest is too."

Lelouch didn't miss the former prisoner watch his sister gesturing and him answering aloud and in sign-language.

"I could eat."

Her tone of voice was still without any real inflection but she took part in the conversation and for now that was enough. His sister just ignored her demeanour, carefully took her hand and led her to the dinner table, smiling at her the whole way.

He watched amused as whatever trepidation the green-haired girl may feel vanished as she smelled the food and she didn't hesitate in sitting down and starting to eat.

Dinner was a silent affair as it often was in their house but low music was playing as usual. Signing and eating simultaneously was bothersome and the siblings didn't care if the only sounds were those of the cutlery and the music in the background. As forced as Nunnallys silence may be, they both had come to appreciate it. Especially in a school filled with teenagers and Milly at the top running the school like some circus.

Their day life was loud enough most of the time, therefore their home was calmer.

Sometimes, if their schedules kept them apart the whole day Lelouch would tell his sister about his day during dinner and they would stay at the table when they were finished and Nunnally would tell him about hers. But usually it was like this.

Calm and silent. Appreciating a good meal and relaxing after a school day, gaining strength for the rest of the evening in each others presence.

While his sister had already eaten she still stayed with them, not asking questions for now. Her very presence calmed him down, let him unwind from the action and nerves of the past hours.

When they were finished Sayoko came back to clean up.

"I have prepared the guest room, Master Lelouch."

He nodded to her and held her gaze for a moment and she nodded at him in understanding.

"Come, I will show you to your room."

He led their guest out into the hallway once again and up the stairs. The ground floor consisted of the dinning room, the kitchen, a big living room, a bathroom and Sayokos room. The first floor held two guest rooms with a shared bathroom and a library.

At the top floor were his own room and Nunnallys, both of them with their own bathroom and a small room which was a combination of a library and a living room. Most days Lelouch and Nunnally would sit in there together before going to sleep.

The house looked normal even if it was a bit big for only two children and their maid. While it may stand on school ground it was still theirs and they had lived here on their own for the last years. The few people who knew that they lived on their own were friends and would never share it with others. The last thing he needed was some kid telling its parents and them getting suspicious why they didn't have adult supervision. Britannian parents wouldn't think Sayoko fit to watch over two Britannians.

He opened the door to the first guest room and walked inside.

"Sayoko, our maid, has hunted down some clothes for you. I hope you don't mind that they are old ones from her or even myself. But they should fit and will do for now. We will see what we can do about that tomorrow."

He turned around seeing her hover in the doorstep and took a step back to her, motioning her inside and gesturing to the wall next to the door.

"You can lock the door from the inside. The code is 91A7. You can change it if you want but I have an override code but I promise to only use it in case of emergency. My sister and I lock our doors during the night also so don't think much on it.

"If you decide to leave during the night that is your choice. Please know that we don't mind you staying for as long as you need to. Like I told you before, I'm more than willing to help you set up your life somewhere. But you don't have to rush your decision, you will be safe here."

He got another nod and then watched her going around the room. Touching everything and lingering by the bed, stroking the bedsheets.

He didn't know how her life as a prisoner had been. Maybe not as bad as a true prison as she was there for a different reason or just as bad or worse. He would leave her alone for now, as much as he may want answers it would be better to just let her settle for now.

"I wish you a good night. We usually eat breakfast at seven but you're welcome to sleep as long as you like. Sayoko, our maid, will be here when you wake up."

He had nearly closed the door when he heard a whispered 'night'.

He went up to the next floor, knowing Sayoko would lock up the house for the night with fewer precautions as usual, just in case their guest really did decide to leave. If she did, he didn't want to be woken by the alarms.

Lelouch wasn't too surprised that Nunnally was waiting in his room, her expression vastly different from the one she wore during dinner.

*I want a full retelling.*

"Of course. How about we head down for that?"

She nodded her acceptance and they both turned towards a certain section of the wall. He pressed a hidden button and the wall slid aside, revealing a narrow hallway. He let her go first and followed after closing the wall again.

The elevator at the end was small, could hold only three people if huddled together, he knew that because they had tested it with Sayoko.

The ride was smooth and short despite at least going down two floors but actually going deeper than that.

It was one of the many secrets they hid from the world, one even more important than their true identities.

Another hallway, long and leading deeper. There were doors left and right in irregular intervals and the hallway split into two directions after some time. But they didn't go that far, opening a door to the right halfway through.

It was a training room. One they both visited often, sometimes together and other times alone or in the company of Sayoko, their teacher in these circumstances.

As Lelouch would have to be talking he went for the knives and daggers, picking out two sets and bringing them to the table at one side of the room. The area was filled with targets, both big and small in many different intervals.

"Well everything was as planned. We met with the Duke as you know. The listening device is running you said?"

*Yes, no problems there. I've already configured the word-filter that runs over the recordings like we discussed. We will soon have more information on his dealings.*

"Yeah, he likes to work from home, isn't often seen in his company. Probably thinks it beneath him to actually go to work or something like that."

He threw the first knife and it hit its intended target, even if it was a bit off from where he planned.

*Maybe, but it is to our advantage. His company is doing too good and his personal accounts are off. I'm sure he's dealing in something shady so it's good that we're watching him now, especially as it seems like he has only recently started with that. He may not be careful enough so that we get more information*

Nunnally had chosen a position by the wall far enough into the room that her brother could watch her answers while still keeping up with flinging steel towards targets. Watching him was nothing special. He hit the targets, his movements were smooth but it was years of training that had made him this good.

In comparison, watching Sayoko was an experience. The steel was like an extension of her body and she moved like it was a deadly dance. But daggers were their most important weapons, easily concealed on your person and held a special meaning in Britannian royalty. That was why Lelouch and also herself trained extensively with them, her brother more as it wasn't his preferred weapon.

But back to the reason why they were here. She had an overall understanding of what happened. Had hooked up her own systems with his Knightmare, had broken into the G-1 systems of their brother to know what was going on and later connected Lelouch to the base so he could talk to Clovis, discussing a ceasefire.

From all the pieces and what Lelouch had told her during it she could form a picture which was probably pretty accurate to what had happened. It should be enough but this was important, therefore she wished for the whole story, step by step.

It marked the beginning of what they had worked for in the last years and she wanted to know as much as she could, like she had been there. She didn't mind operating from behind the scenes, she preferred it that way which she knew Lelouch was happy about. But this was a monumental step in their operations and she wanted to know every detail.

*Quit asking questions you already know the answers to. Start talking. Now!*

She watched him give her a wry smile but of course he had to have the last word and suppressed a sigh.

"Anything came in today that I need to look at?"

*No, nothing that can't wait until tomorrow. Some reports from our allies, some requests for resources. Nothing out of the ordinary but you should plan some time for it, also don't forget that the poker tournament is tomorrow."

She watched him fling two knives at once while nodding. Not that he needed the remainder. Her brother could remember information in a way that wasn't normal. It wasn't completely an eidetic memory as it covered read as well as heard information and he couldn't recite a book word for word after he had read it once. But he was still able to retain information easier than anyone she knew but that didn't mean he didn't appreciate a reminder of the more important things.

Her brothers mind was a dangerous place, for more than one reason and it often happened that he could get lost looking far into the future, planning ahead that he sometimes forgot to think about the next five minutes. Or he would forget smaller issues because he was tackling a bigger problem.

He was most likely already plotting ahead, sorting through information he had on Shinjuku and how to incorporate this new cell they had stumbled on into future plans, just like he would try to find the best way to use the knowledge of Clovis secret to their advantage.

Nunnally was sure he would have remembered or at least seen it on his 'official' calender but she also knew that he was already replanning the next day with everything new he wanted to do, things that he now had to plan for because of the happenings today.

Which reminded her.

*Talk*

Lelouch sighed at his sister impatience. As much as he understood it he wanted to get everything in order before he began his tale, because at the end he wanted to be there for her, wanted to forget work for the time and remember the friend he had lost today just seconds after finding him again.

He pushed that thought from his mind once again and started to tell Nunnally everything from the beginning while he went and retrieved the daggers.

He couldn't help it but he did have to pause as he drew nearer to the moment where Suzaku, then only a faceless Britannian soldier, discovered him. He wanted to tell that tale at the end which meant omitting a few details.

By the end of it he had finished his fifth set of exercises, not stopping as he went through the room and collected his weapons back. The last of it he told while setting the table with Nunnallys preferred set of knifes. She favoured the kunais Sayoko was using too, while he didn't care so much, he was pickier with guns, his preferred weapon. While Nunnally specialised more in throwing sharpened steel and while she hit dead centre with whatever you gave her she would always pick her favourites if given the choice.

*There's still something you need to tell me and you don't like it or you wouldn't give me my favourites to train.*

He kissed the top of her head when she came to stand with him, looking down on the arrangements.

When she looked to him Lelouch reached for her hands, holding them as he locked gazes with her before Lelouch told her the part he had left out. The reveal of Suzaku as a Britannian soldier, how he had helped him free the girl instead of securing her. Following his lead despite his orders probably. How he had changed, jumping to attention at the commanders appearance. It hurt to retell not only because of what Suzaku had become but because of what happened next. The idiot always protecting him no matter what.

Listening to the rest of her brothers tale, Nunnally was shocked and saddened. She could also feel the anger building in her and only the steady gaze of her brother was keeping her calm.

She saw the same anguish, the same turmoil she was feeling deeply hidden under the calm mask of Lelouch. She reminded herself to keep breathing carefully. She couldn't allow her emotions to overcome her, if she did the scarred tissue in her throat would cramp and breathing would get difficult. Crying wouldn't help her, wouldn't help her brother and certainly not Suzaku.

She took a deep careful breath under the watching gaze of Lelouch, she did tear up a bit but she was still in control and leaned forwards into the arms of her brother.

She drew strength from him, like always.

He was the steady presence of her life now, she couldn't imagine what she would do without him. He had guided her through everything in the last years, protecting her but also letting her become what she wanted. It had been hard getting him to allow her participation in his plans. But now they both knew that only together they were strong.

She breathed in his scent, calming down further.

"I've told Jeremiah to try and get Suzakus body so that we may give him a proper burial."

His voice was only a whisper but she felt a slight tremble go through his body. He may hide it well but he was as much affected as she was. She hoped that Gottwald would be able to get Suzaku to them but she also knew that it was more important that he wasn't found out. No matter how much the thought of their friend being thrown carelessly into some hole in the ground hurt her, their priorities were clear.

They would mourn their friend, with or without the body. Remember the angry boy that turned into a true friend. The happy child showing them around his home and explaining Japanese traditions. A young boy that helped them and even protected them.

It was hard accepting what he became but that didn't mean they wouldn't pay him the respect he deserved for all he had done for them. Especially as he saved the life of her brother today.

Nunnally withdrew from her brothers embrace, gave him a smile before she stepped away and back to the table. She picked up the first kunai and threw it at the farthest target, hitting dead centre.

If the steel went farther into the target as usual because she let her emotions influence her throwing, Lelouch didn't comment on it. He just stood back and watched.

She worked out her emotions through training and even managed to not let them overrule her, thanks to the calm presence behind her. She kept her breathing steady like she had trained and went through her thoughts while Lelouch retrieved her kunais.

When she was done they went back up and huddled together on the balcony of Lelouchs room, staring up at the stars like they had done with Suzaku when they stayed at the Kururugi shrine. It was something they had done back at Pendragon, mostly with Euphy and then later with their friend.

It was even more bittersweet now than it was then.

It reminded them of happy times at the Aries Villa with their mother, of the cruelty of their father, of the friend that gave them back their happiness and of everything they had endured since then. Gazing at the stars was something that gave them strength despite some sad memories that were connected to them.

They didn't talk much, just sharing some stories of Suzaku but both were more involved with their own thoughts.

Thoughts of what would happen now.

They would slowly but surely step out of the shadows now. Starting tomorrow they would see if all their preparations had been enough. Everything would get more dangerous and despite having waited for it, it was still different to know that it was finally happening. Everything would change now.

The game was on.

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Hope you enjoyed! ;-)

 **I'M STILL SEARCHING FOR A BETA!** (Is really no one interested? Don't be shy ^_^ )

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I wish you all the best for 2018. Until next time! (Whenever that may be...)


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